Between Time and Space
by Darkia
Summary: The light!It was the same pillar of light that took me there before.I barely had time to slow myself down as it hit the ground. The next thing I knew was that I was being held by someone with warm arms as it took me back to that strange land once more.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, it's me the writer, yeah anyways… I can't seem to type tonight wow! Too many typo demons. Heh. KILL THE TYPO DEMONS! Anyways… : coughs: ignore the hyper-ness. Well lets see this is my second EscaFlowne fic and my six fic all together… Well seventh if you include my original fic but yeah.

DISCLAIMER: This is my disclaimer for the whole fan fic. So yeah I do not own EscaFlowne blah blah blah, I don't own it! Enjoy the fic.

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**CHAPTER ONE**

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Hitomi Kanzaki wasn't an ordinary girl in many ways besides the fact that she had visions of the past or future, and had been able to sense out people by picturing them in her mind and then trying to find them, but there was one thing that made her different from the rest. She had been to a place that no one else had been to besides a man named Issac and that she had helped saved an entire world in the Great War. The world that she had helped saved was Gaea, a mysterious planet to where you could see the Earth and the Moon hanging in the sky. In this world, she had been labeled many things, Lady Hitomi from the Mystic Moon, the Wing Goddess, seer, and those where the only ones that she had known of. Like other girls however, she had fallen in love, but unlike most distant loves, hers was further away then any of the couples here on Earth. The man that she had loved, was beyond the reach of a simple air plane trip to the other side of the world. Van Fanel, the young reigning king of Fanelia.

She now regretted that she had spend so much time flirting with Allen to when she could have been spending that time with Van. That was her fault, but then again it was Van's fault since he was the one who sent her away. It had been five years since she had seen him face to face, in person, and she missed him deeply. She had asked him to stay, but he sent her back here anyway. When she got back, she didn't know what day it was or how long she had been gone. Amando had gotten together with Yukari during this time and it seemed like they weren't even worried that they had seen a strange man riding a dragon and then that man had carried her away. She was glad for the couple expect for the fact that Yukari was pissed off at her for using Amando like that and that was when their friendship was beginning to fall apart. Yukari had really liked, loved Amando from the beginning and here Hitomi only had a simple crush on him.

Days later after she had returned, her parents where glad to have her back, her father accused her of running away and her mother and her father had gotten in to arguments over that since Hitomi's grandmother had told Hitomi's mother of the story when she was young about going to Gaea so her mother believed her. That was nearly five years ago. It was just two years ago when her mother, father, and brother had all died in a car accident because her parents started to argue again most likely, or at least that's what Hitomi assumed since the witness said that it was her parents fault. They seemed to have been fighting a lot lately ever since Hitomi had came back and she felt guilty for the most part of it. It was that same year to when Hitomi had found out that Yukari was moving to America to be with Amando and that they where to be married once Yukari had settled down in America. She was now truly alone since Van hadn't contact her in some time and she wondered if he still loved her or had moved on. She wouldn't have blamed him completely if he did, they where too far away to be together, and where on separate worlds completely. It wasn't like they weren't just in two different countries on the opposite side of the planet, this was something completely different. Though there where times to when she wondered what would have happened if she would have stayed, if he had let her stay. She sighed as she looked up at the blue sky to see if there was some trace of Gaea, she had been searching for it ever since she had first returned to Earth. _"Van, what are you doing now?"_ She wondered as she leaned her head against the balcony which was outside her bedroom window. _"Do you still love me?"_ She thought and cried.

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Van Fanel sighed as the same subject popped up once again, for him to get a heir. He had told his advisers countless of times that there was plenty of time for that later since Gaea was now peaceful and there was no rush for him to get married. They insisted that it was unusual for a king to be almost twenty one and still be single. There where many women who he could have chosen from, royalty or not, he just chose not to. He had once come close to agree with them to get them off of his back, but backed down on it at the last minute. He had almost chosen Merle as his fiancé this past year to get them to shut up but he didn't love Merle that way. That and it wasn't unusual for a king to be his age and to be unmarried. His father was a couple of years older then he was when he had married his mother, not only that but father was also at war. He was always forced to dance with ladies at the balls, but where none that had caught his eye, none of them, even Allen's sister who had tried to get his attention many times but had failed.

He had known Celina and Allen for five years now, and Allen a little longer then that, but with Celina, it still creeped him out since Celina was once changed in to a man to be a soldier for the Zaibach army. He shuddered every time he thought about it. He sat on the roof of his castle and looked at the two moons that hung in the sky.

"You're thinking about her again aren't you Van-Sama?" An all too familiar voice asked him and he looked to find Merle now sitting next to him.

"N…" He was quickly interrupted before he could even say the word.

"Don't lie Van-Sama, you know that I know you better then any one and I know that you miss her. Don't worry, I miss her to." Merle said who actually looked older now and didn't so much like a kid, more like an older teenager.

"Yes, but there's nothing that I can't do about it now, five years had passed since we had last met. I didn't even contact her this past year since I was afraid that she might have found another." Van said not too afraid to speak openly to Merle. Merle was the only one who he completely trusted in telling his feelings to. She was his childhood friend, and a sister, even though she had other feelings for him, he didn't return him; she would have been happy if he told the advisers that he wanted Merle to be his wife.

"Maybe you should go to her then?" Merle suggested which made Van look at her strangely. "I know you want to, Van-Sama, and that the only reason why you sent her back five years ago was to keep your promise. However, forgive me for saying this, but I think you should have broke that promise."

"Sometimes I wish that I had Merle, sometimes I wish that I had." He told his friend sadly. He was a man yes, but he was also a king, and kings where suppose to keep their promises, no matter how much it pained him. She was happy, and that's all that mattered, no matter how much he regretted it.

_"I'll never forget you, even when I get old!"_ Van could still hear Hitomi's voice as she was sent off back to the Mystic Moon that day. She never promised that she would wait for him, then again he never promised that he would come to get her, or he didn't even know how to come get her more or less. "She seems to be happy with out me, she told me herself the last time I spoke with her." Van said to Merle even though Hitomi hadn't said those exact same words.

_"I'm fine Van."_ Hitomi had told him and smiled at him.

She was fine with out him, that was obvious. Maybe it was time for him to get married, he didn't know what to do. There was no need for getting married for political reasons any more, since war had come to a stop and the people had learned their lessons with Zaibach and where willing to give up war just to have peace, and not to make it happen like it had been five years ago since peace was so hard to keep and could be broken in an instant_. "Hitomi…"_ He thought to himself as he looked to the sky.

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Hitomi's heart suddenly felt hot and could see Van in her mind, she could see him on the fully rebuilt castle's roof with Merle sitting not too far away from him. "Van, I guess like you chose Merle." She thought sighing. "At least it was someone you knew and you didn't marry someone for political reasons." She thought sadly as she looked at Van. Her heart still felt warm however and the feeling did not go away. For some odd reason she had made her way back to her old high school's track and felt a sudden urge to run. She knew that she should have used the one at her college since she had gotten a scholar ship for college and could probably end up running for one of Japan's popular track teams, but she wasn't wanting to make running her career anyway. She placed her feet in the markers and when her stop watch went off, she started to run.

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Van suddenly stood up as he now felt the pendant glow a warm glow against his chest and he picked it up and could see that it was glowing. "She's calling me." Van thought as he looked up at the sky. With out even saying anything to Merle, he threw off his shirt, and made his cursed wings come out. _"I like your wings Van."_ She told him all of those years ago, he had started liking her before then, even though he didn't know it then, but he had fallen for her long before then.

_"Van, you must never show your wings Van."_ His mother had made him promise that he wouldn't. _"Promise me that you won't show your wings until the right moment." _His mother had said sadly. _"Don't make your mother sad Van."_

_"I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean to make you sad."_ With that he cried silently in his mothers arms, and that was the last time he had shown any one his wings, until he met Hitomi, she was the one who he wanted to let see. The familiar blue light surrounded him, and descended him through time and space.

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Hitomi gasped as she suddenly seen Van appear with in the same blue light that had taken her to Gaea all of those years ago. Her eyes opened wide as she managed to slow herself down enough when he opened his arms out to her and caught her in to a hug. Once in Van's arms, the light engulfed the two of them, and carried them back to Gaea.

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Here ends chapter one of this fic to which I still can't think of a name for it yet. Actually I think I just did! Haha! Bad joke, yes I know. I'm terrible at that so yeah whatever

Anyways… enough of my senseless rambling, I hope that you enjoyed the

Fic and will tell me what you think, which means review peoples.

Also if you haven't done so already, maybe you could check

Out my other EscaFlowne fic if you're interested in doing

So. That's up to you, but whatever. Well until next time

Adieu.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

I looked in to his crimson red eyes and blushed brightly as he stared in to mine. Van, it was really Van! So I wasn't going crazy after all. "Is this just a dream?" I asked and Van looked at me strangely as I held him tighter. "No, you're here." I said as I leaned my head against his chest and closed my eyes as I could hear his heart beat.

"Hitomi…" Van started to say. "Is something wrong?" He asked with out trying to hide the concern in his voice.

"No Van." I relied. "I just can't believe that I'm finally back here… finally back with you…." I seemed to have collapsed at that point since I didn't remember anything else.

Van caught Hitomi as she started to slide down and he picked her up bridle style. "Hitomi, you're back."

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When I woke up it was dark, or at least the room was, I couldn't tell the shade was pulled over the window which blocked out any light from the out side world. I couldn't tell where I was or anything until I looked to the side of the bed I was placed on and found Van sleeping there. I blushed as I watched him sleep sitting in a chair with his head on the bed. Gaea, I was back on Gaea, this wasn't any dream or joke, Van was here so I had to be on Gaea right? Van looked so peaceful, and handsome as he laid there asleep. He had changed, but only slightly, well it had been five years but the changes weren't any to complain about. He appeared to be taller, or at least that's what it felt like when he held me. There where a few other changes other then his height, but none where obvious, to me, he still appeared to be the same Van Fanel that I had fallen in love with five years ago. Then it hit me; fallen in love, could it be possible that he was already married now? My heart pounded at the thought and my hand moved up to try to make it stop from beating so loud. Had all of these years of avoiding having boyfriends and making sure that I didn't fall in love with any one else be in vain? It wouldn't have been all that impossible, he was a handsome king and there must have been quite a few number of girls who fancied him so he could be, he could be married. I wanted to cry but forced myself not to since he was right there. But then again, if he was married why was he here, sleeping by my side, or almost anyway. I wanted to cry, and it kept every ounce of strength to keep myself from not crying. It was then when I found a pair of crimson red eyes staring up at me and I felt myself blush as I stared in to his eyes which always made me feel weak. "Did I wake you?" I asked as he sat up and popped his neck, it was terribly uncomfortable to sleep like that, I knew that from experience.

"No, you didn't." Van replied and looked at me silently. "I'm glad to see that you're awake Hitomi, I was worried about you when you suddenly collapsed like that."

Worried, did he just say that he was worried about me? I knew that he liked me five years ago when I was here my first time around but… Maybe I was just taking things the wrong way. "Sorry about that Van." I apologized. "I don't know what came over me."

"I'm just glad that you're safe." Van said and locked his eyes with Hitomi's. Silence fell between the two for what felt like endless silence. Meeting with your old crush was, such a strange feeling. Especially when you lived on two different worlds and two different lives, and not to mention that it had been five years! "You must be hungry." Van finally said as he realized what time it was.

I knew that this was his way to try to break the silence. "Sounds good to me Van, how long was I asleep?" I asked.

"Two days." Van replied and I looked at him in shock. "Two days you where asleep, when we got here you collapsed and then, ever since then you where in that state..."

I remembered then why I was so tired. It was me who had called that light to take me back to this world, back to Gaea. I wanted to go back so bad and to see Van again. "I think I might have used a little too much energy in creating that light." I finally said. "The one that took us here."

"You?" Van asked with a mixture of a curious and shocked look on his face.

"I don't know how I did it, I think…. I don't really remember actually it's sort of just happened so fast that I don't know how I did it." I said and laughed nervously which made Van give me a weird look. "I'm such a baka."

"No, you're not." Van said. "Well I shouldn't be keeping you from everyone, let's go or would you prefer to walk yourself there?" Van asked.

"You know I don't know my way around Van." I said which made him grin strangely. I guessed that I was in Fanelia, it would be the only sensible explanation to where I was.

"You're right, sorry I forgot." Van said and laughed nervously as he looked at me. "I will escort you there then, Lady Hitomi." Van said which made me blush. "What do you mean by "Lady" Van?" I asked.

"What do I mean? Oh you're known as Lady Hitomi the seer from the Mystic Moon in our books now, that's what I mean." Van explained and raised an eye brow as he held out his arm for me to take. I placed my arm in his and blushed fiercely as I felt his warm skin against mine. "EEeeh you're not serious." I said and felt my face burn even more.

"I am." Van replied. "Very serious." He said laughing as he saw my face. "Calm down, Lady Hitomi." Van said as they walked down the palace halls. "There is nothing wrong in calling you lady."

The chief said that it was actually after hours for meal but he said that he would make an exception for the king's guest and the king since the cook scolded "King Van" for nearly starving himself the two days.

"I had a maid bring something for me to eat." Van said as he tried to reassure the cook.

"I told you King Van that you mustn't push yourself like this when you're busy!" The cook nearly shouted. "I swear if I didn't threathen to beat him with one of my pots he wouldn't come in to eat at all."

"So King Van hadn't come to eat for the past two days?" I asked.

"No, he hasn't!" The cook said and I looked at Van. "Typical." I said and shook my head.

"Who is your young guest your highness?" The cook asked Van and I blushed.

"Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer from the Mystic Moon." Van said with out any hesitation and the cook just looked at me with weird eyes.

"Dear gods.." The cook said and took my hand. "It's the Lady Hitomi…"

"Will you excuse us so I can have a talk with his highness?" I asked the cook who looked at me.

"Yes, excuse me, I better get that meal started." The cook said and I dragged Van in to the other room which appeared empty. "YOU MEAN…" I started to shout but was silenced by a kiss. I looked at Van in shock as I felt his lips against mine. I closed my eyes and could feel my heart skip beats just about every other beat. My face felt hot and I knew that I must have been blushing over a hundred shades of red. Van was kissing me, me, so he wasn't married? My heart jumped for joy at the thought. He was single right? He wouldn't be kissing me if he was married right? Van wasn't just that type of person. Once the kiss was broke we where both left apparently breathless.

"Van…" I breathed as I looked at him.

"Hitomi, I might have been wrong to do that but I…." Van stuttered.

I stared at him in shock not knowing what to say or do. I had waited five years for this moment, five years! He had kissed me and I had kissed him back. My heart beat fast, I was having a hard time breathing. Van still loved me, thank the gods, he still did. But wasn't this sudden? I just woke up not but at least thirty minutes ago and he kissed me. Gods he must have been waiting a long time to do that. Here he was about to spill something out to me and I couldn't do a thing!

"I…" Van continued as he tried to say what it was that he was trying to say. _"Come on Van you spent at least over three hours in the bathroom over the past five years practicing this for the time if she ever returned."_ Van thought as he scolded himself. _"I can speak in front of an entire kingdom with out a problem and other kingdoms as well and now look at me, useless!" _Then again, was it not Hitomi who had first liked Allen before him? Allen was the one who seemed to be able to say the right things and act the right way in front of women. He also had the looks and the skills of a swordsman. He'd also had Hitomi's been the one who stolen Hitomi's first kiss away from him.

"I love you Van." Hitomi said with out any hesitation as she felt her heart finally calm down. "I still love you Van Fanel." Hitomi said and could feel her knees go weak below her and Van caught her.

"Hitomi!" Van said as he caught her.

"I'm fine Van." I said as I tried to reassure the man who I had just confessed my love to again. "I guess like I don't have my energy back all the way yet, that's all." I said as I looked up at him. He did get taller, that was not my imagination. He picked me up and brought me to a table on the far side of the room next to a window. He sat me down in a chair and pushed it in.

"How long do you plan on staying this time?" Van asked curiously not meaning to have made it to sound as cold as it did since this was the woman who he was crazy about.

"I don't know Van." I answered honestly. "I want to stay as long as you will let me or as long as Gaea and the Mystic Moon will let me." I answered blushing.

"You can stay for as long as you like or are let." Van said and I smiled happily. "Tomorrow if I have time." Van started to say which made me blink. "I would like to personally show you around Fanelia. We have finally finished rebuilding it to how it was before the great war and even better." Van said and quieted himself as he saw the cook come in from the corner of his eye. "You didn't have to bring it to us you know." Van said.

"It is an honor to…"

"Dri, just because Lady Hitomi is here doesn't mean that you have to act like that. You don't seem to act that way in front of me and I'm the king." Van said shaking his head.

"Yes but…" Dri protested.

"No buts, just act like you normally do. I'm sure that the Lady Hitomi will find out your true nature sooner or later, Dri." Van said as Dri put two plates on the table. He went back to go get them something to drink.

"Will that be all my lady?" Dri asked me and I laughed. "That's fine thanks." I said and looked at Van who looked at Dri annoyed.

"Would you leave us alone now Dri? We have a lot to discuss and shouldn't you be preparing the menu for tomorrow's ball?" Van asked with a raised eye brow.

"I already have it done your highness." Dri replied.

"Well then go recheck it and do not tell any one that Lady Hitomi has returned." Van said. "That's an order Dri." He said as the man lingered there a little while longer.

"Is it true that you can really see the future?" Dri asked as if not hearing Van's question.

"NOW!" Van said as he raised his voice and watched as Dri then hurried back to the kitchen.

"Ball?" I asked curiously.

"The one to which I am suppose to announce who I have chosen as my bride." Van said and sighed. "I hate it when they keep pushing the subject but they decided to arrange this to where I'm suppose to dance with every royal woman until I tell them who I have chosen." Van said annoyedly.

"Oh…" Hitomi said sadly.

"I would like you to come Hitomi." Van said. "I know that this is sudden but you are an important figure here on Gaea I would like you to come as my honored guest." Van said.

"Honored?" Hitomi asked. "I don't know what to say to that Van."

"I forgot about it until just now and the tuor will have to wait." Van said as he looked at Hitomi with pleading eyes.

"I seem to have no choice but to say yes, Van." Hitomi said sadly. _"It seems as if I will have to painfully watch in the corner as I watch you choose your future wife."_ I wanted to cry as I had back then in the room. I forced the tears back as I sat and listened to Van talk about Fanelia and what happened after the war since I did ask. I hoped that the conversation would make my mind at ease. However I still couldn't help but to selfishly think that Van would have to choose some other girl besides me. A princess most likely, a princess from a well known country here on Gaea. I was no body, just the seer from the Mystic Moon. I was also known as the Wing Goddess to some people though I never really saw why, I wasn't the one who had wings, Van was the one who had them not me. "Your country sounds amazing Van, I can't wait to say it." I said as I tried to push the idea of the ball out of my mind.

"I want you to tell me of the Mystic Moon if you don't mind that is." Van said with curiosity in his voice and his eyes.

I then explained to him how it was for me when I got back home. How father didn't believe me and said that I had ran away even though mother, Yukari, and Amando said that I was in another world. How I was in my last year of high school and was going to graduate. Things like that and it seemed to make Van smile to hear of my past five years. The only thing he frowned at however, was the fact that I said about my father. The cook Dri had left after we finished eating once he had cleaned the plates and Van and I still remained and talked in to long hours in the night. My digital watch on my wrist told me that it was way past 1:30 in the morning and Van let out a yawn that he seemed to be trying to hold back.

"Why didn't you tell me that you where tired Van? You have to wake up early and have a long day tomorrow um, today." I said as I corrected myself. Van just smiled at me and looked at me with those eyes of his that always seemed to pull me in.

"I don't mind loosing sleep." Van insisted. "As long as I'm loosing it over you."

I blushed more then a dozen shades of red and insisted that Van go to bed. He insisted that he'd be the one to walk me to my room since I didn't know my way around the castle and I realized that he was right. I hadn't payed attention to the path that we took to get here since I was too busy staring at Van. I blushed and nodded. As we got to the door of the bedroom to where I was staying I noticed how highly guarded these few doors where. "Van why is the castle so highly guarded? I thought that Gaea was at a state of peace."

"These rooms are my quarters. The room that you woke up in is one of my rooms, Lady Hitomi, I thought that I told you that." Van asked me and I blushed fiercely. "You may use it for as long as you like." He whispered in my ear and then with out hesitation kissed me good night. I then walked in to the room that Van had let me have and went in. _"He likes me." _ I thought happily as my heart raced and my face flushed as I thought about it. _"He still likes me."_ It was stupid, I know, but I couldn't help it. Five years, five faithful years, however, there was a down side to it. Tomorrow happened to be the day that he had to choose his wife. The woman Van chose, I knew would be lucky. Since Van was so full of love even if I had denied him that love before back during the war when I had first came. Van Fanel would no longer be mine as of tomorrow and was he mine to take in the first place? I didn't know. Questions and dark thoughts raced through my mind that night as I tried to fall asleep at least for a few hours before the sun rose. I finally fell asleep something during that night, but I don't know when for I remember the dark dreams that I had that matched my dark thoughts that night. When I was woken up at 9am that next morning thanks to a maid who awoke me. I rolled back over and placed my face in to the pillow and groaned. Today would be the day to when Van would choose the woman who he married. The young woman pulled the covers off of my bed and threw open the shade. "It is time to get up, milady." The young woman said. "I have orders to make sure you get out of bed."

Tiredly and now wishing that I hadn't stayed up so late last night with Van, I sat up. _"Today was going to be a long day."_ I thought and my first official morning on Gaea started.

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Finally right? I finally decided that I might continue this story. It kind of depends on the reviews and if I decide to and have time and that stuff. What is really disappointing to a writer is how little reviews you get compared to how many people who have actually looked at the site. Well tell me what you think everyone. (This is my second EscaFlowne hit so this time around, I hope that I get all of the names spelt right. If I don't then I guess like I'll never learn them.)


	3. Chapter 3

I finally updated, I hope that you're all happy. My disclaimer, well Just for those of you who are picky. THIS IS THE DISCLAIMER FOR NOW AND UNTIL THE END OF THE END OF THIS FIC! I DO NOT OWN ESCAFLOWNE GET IT! Anyways enjoy.

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**CHAPTER THREE**

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Today was the day that Van would have to choose his wife. She was out of the race, she already knew that. He wouldn't be able to choose her, she wasn't royalty. Not here and not on Earth so she had lost to Van. He had asked her to come but she had second thoughts about it, why would she go just to see the woman that Van chose over her? He said that he loved her but maybe he was playing with her heart. It wasn't a hard thing to do, first there was Amando-Sempai, then Allen-San, and now Van. How many times had she turned down decent guys just to wait for Van? She lost count one too many times. _"Hitomi Fanel."_ She thought as she sat in the odd shaped tub and blushed at the thought. She shook the idea out of her head since it was only a hope. Once she was out, she looked at the only outfit that she brought with her, it was pathetic. Compared to most of the women that would be at the ball today she would be wearing this simple out fit. She sighed and shook her head. She dressed herself and ate the breakfast that the maid brought her. "Thank you." She said to the maid who curtsied quietly and stood behind me and fixed my hair as I ate or tried to.

"My lady, you are not eating." The woman said with a hint of worry in her voice. "I was told that you where asleep for at least two days when you woke up, you should eat something." She said. "His highness will be worried if he finds out that you didn't eat."

"I'm not that hungry right now." I lied. "I'm not always hungry right away after I wake up. I know it's strange but it's just how I've always been since I got use to not having time to eat in the morning any way. Don't worry I had a decent sized meal last night." I said hoping that she would not tell Van of my not eating.

"If you insist." The woman said with hesitation in her voice.

"Please don't report that I didn't eat to Van-Sama." I begged and she looked at me strangely. "I'll get something to eat a little later but you see back home I usually never have time to eat so I just got in the habit of skipping the morning meal." I said half lieing. I just usually ate on the run.

"Alright if you insist my lady." The woman said quietly.

"Why do you keep calling me "lady" anyway?" I asked curiously and she looked at me.

"May I speak freely?" She asked and I nodded. "Here on Gaea, you are well known, I am not sure if his highness did not tell you that or not, but in every country you have earned the title lady as well as wing goddess and the seer from the Mystic Moon. You, my lady, have changed history books that date back for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. Things have changed since the great war, and the great war ended because of you and the king." The young woman said.

"May I ask what your name is?" I asked curiously.

"Aya." Aya replied bowing.

"Thanks Aya." I said.

"Merle is waiting outside." Aya said suddenly. "She wanted to come in but I told her to wait outside until you dressed and ate."

"Merle, I haven't seen her in ages, thank's again Aya-San." I said and quickly got up and walked out the door to my bedroom. I was automatically glomped by a pink haired cat girl. "HITOMI!" Merle shouted nearly making me go deaf.

"Merle, it's been too long, five years too long!" I said and watched as she frowned.

"Only five years Hitomi?" Merle asked and I looked at her strangely. "It's been nearly six here, our new year is in two moons away." She said and I just stared at her.

"Van…Sama never said anything about it." I said. "He never corrected me last night."

"Last night?" Merle asked.

"I woke up and ran in to Van." I said lieing. "We, he made me eat dinner with him." I said.

Merle looked at me and shook her head. "You came back at the wrong time, Hitomi, or should I say Lady Hitomi?" Merle asked.

"I know, Van-Sama told me about it." I said sighing.

"Princess from at least fifteen countries and not to mention other ladies of the royal family." Merle said as they started to walk down the halls.

"Yes well I hope he chooses the right one." Hitomi said sighing and blushed as she remembered the kiss that he gave her so carelessly last night. "Why did he do that?" She asked as she suddenly stopped.

"Do what?" Merle asked and noticed the weird look on Hitomi's face.

"DAMN WHY THE HELL!" Hitomi shouted and ran off in any direction.

"HITOMI! WAIT YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY!" Merle shouted but I didn't care. Tonight Van would become engaged, I would loose, that was that. I didn't have a chance with him. _"But he kissed me!"_ My thoughts shouted enraged. I realized that I had somehow made my way to the garden, the only place that I remembered clearly from the last time I was here since it was the only place that was actually completely built, or almost completely. The castle was still being worked on when I was here last and this was the only thing I remembered clearly. "Folken-san's grave." I said as I walked over by it and saw some fresh flowers on it. "Folken-San, it's Hitomi, do you remember me?" I asked the man that I once feared and then had made my friend. "I've finally come back to Gaea, back to Van, but it seems as if I came back at the wrong time." I said with a sigh. "As you most likely know, Van is going to choose his wife today." I said sadly as I picked at a flower a white rose, the one already on the grave was red. "Make sure he picks the right one alright?" I asked Folken. "I know that it's selfish of me to ask you that but I am sure you know how I felt back then and still do so if you're still watching over him, please make sure that you make the right choice, Folken-San."

I remembered this man very little but we had become friends, if only just slightly. This was the man who had betrayed Fanelia, had helped in the destruction of his homeland, had betrayed his brother, the man who loved Van still as many years as he had been apart. This was the man who had become my friend, and a hero of Gaea. I then felt a strange presence and the world around me seemed to disappear and I reappeared on another. A meadow by a sea. I had been here before, just once when I realized my true feelings for Van.

"Hitomi Kanzaki." A familiar voice said to me and I spun around and gasped to see the white hair now white winged angel. "Folken-San!" I said only half shocked to see him.

"I still remember you, that strange girl from the Mystic Moon who had stolen my brother's heart." Folken said with out hesitation. "Believe in him, Hitomi." Folken said.

"So you heard me?" I asked blushing.

"Of course, you where talking to me, where you not?" Folken asked. "Trust in Van, he needs that trust."

"I must have sounded selfish." I said embarrassedly to Van's older brother.

"I wouldn't exactly say selfish." Folken said. "Go back to him now Hitomi Kanzaki, Wing Goddess, Seer from the Mystic Moon, the Lady who saved Gaea." Folken added. "He needs you know. You can watch him from there as I do from here."

"Yes Folken-San, you're right." I said. "It was good to see you again." I said to the man who appeared to smile as the world around me seemed to disappear once again. Warm hands where placed on my shoulders and I didn't need to turn around. "Allen-San, what are you doing?" I asked the blonde hair man and finally turned around.

"How did you know it was me, Hitomi?" My first crush on this world asked.

"What are you doing here?" I asked raising an eye brow.

"Celena was one of the ladies to represent Asturia." Allen explained. "I am her escort." He frowned. "Not that I approve of it of course but I have no choice. Millerna tried to order Celena not to go but Celena disobeid the order. She has a…" Allen coughed. "Thing for Van. I guess like Dilandau's obsession with him never died…." Allen said meaning only for half of that to be humorous.

"I see." Hitomi said as she tried to hide her disappointment.

"I heard from Merle that you where here and that you ran off so I decided to come to find you. I wanted to come visit you when I first heard that you came but Van refused to let me. He said that you where sleeping." Allen said as if not believing it.

"I was, for two days straight." I replied. "Yes I knew it was you because I could sense you coming Allen-San." I said as I tried to keep my emotions from showing. "How have you been?"

I found out that Allen had remained a Knight of the Heavens in Asturia and that the history books all around Gaea had been rewritten because of me and Van. I was sort of shocked to how Allen said that I was mentioned greatly in the history books as the Messiah of Gaea. I had to laugh at that and that Allen had told me that Van tried to get that to change but the people writing the texts wouldn't budge. "Messiah of Gaea." I said laughing. "That's great. All I did was cause trouble for both you and Van and whine a lot. You two did most of the fighting along with the rest of the soldiers."

"Yes well but that's how they interpreted it." Allen said sighing as he ran his hand through his long blonde hair. Why had this man been the one that I had fallen in love with all of those years ago? I didn't know. I couldn't figure it out either. "Millerna is still single." Allen said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" I said not having had heard that right.

"Millerna, Hime Millerna," Allen said correcting himself. "Has not been able to choose between Dryden and myself." He said sadly. "I told her that she should go to Dryden, I'm too old for her." Allen said.

"Your not too old." I replied. "Not exactly young either but not too old." I said and Allen had to smile.

"Yes while Dryden will make a better husband for her then I." Allen said sadly. "I give up, five years, he deservers her for waiting that long. I'm just a play boy remember? I told Dryden to prepose while I was away." Allen said. "I told him that I gave up and that if she wishes to she can choose him."

"Allen-San, I'm sorry I'm the reason why…" I started to say but was stopped.

"No your not." Allen said. "It would have happened any way, the marriage was arranged." Allen said. "My duty is to protect the royal family and Asturia's people. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It seems as if we may both have lost." I blurted out and gasped and clasped my hands over my mouth.

"Don't you give up on Van, Hitomi." Allen said half scolding. "Your oni-chan won't let you." Allen said half teasing.

"Oni-Chan?" I asked curiously with a puzzled look.

"I know it's strange but it'll be an interesting sibling relationship don't you think?" Allen asked winking. "Sort of an adopted in to the family type thing. This way Van doesn't have any reason to feel jealous when you hang out with me." Allen said as he stood up. "Come on, let's go, this place is sort of depressing."

"I don't think so." I protested and Allen looked at me. "It's peaceful, even though Folken-San and the EscaFlowne are asleep here." I said. "It calms me."

"You are weird." Allen sighed and shook his head. "Two weird sisters, what have I gotten myself in to?"

"It's not like it's official you know? I never agreed to that!" Hitomi said nearly shouting.

"Just accept it and be quiet. After all we wouldn't want to make Van jealous would we?" Allen asked.

"I should hit you." I said but knew why he did it. This way we could hang out and I wouldn't make Van jealous. Or did that really matter any more? What if I did make him jealous? He was getting ENGAGED tonight. I sighed again as I followed Allen out of the garden.

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Hitomi sat in her room, which was one of Van's rooms. Allen had left go to meet up with Celena to make sure she wasn't killing Van yet by hanging all over him and Hitomi was left here alone. Folken had told her not to give up but how could she not? She was already out of the race. Why had she come here? She missed him so much but she was finally getting use to the way that life was. There was also someone on Earth who had been asking her to go out with him a countless number of times and the last time she was almost tempted to say yes. Was she fated to be left alone in this world, this world she had fallen in love with? She couldn't help but to feel sad. A knock on the door.

"Yes?" She asked through the door and watched it open, she was surprise to see Allen there again.

"Why aren't you dressed yet Hitomi?" Allen asked. "You're not going to the ball dressed like that are you?" Allen asked.

"I have nothing else to wear and I don't feel like going." Hitomi said. **_'Come to the ball Hitomi.'_** Van had told her the night before. She had no choice but to go. "I'll have to go as I am." Hitomi said as she finally forced herself to stand up and walked over to where she had left her shoes.

"You aren't from around here so no one can say anything about how you look Hitomi." Allen said.

"I thought you where going to escort Celena to the ball." Hitomi said curiously.

"She knows her way there. I explained it to her and she said that I could come retrieve you." Allen said and watched as Hitomi's facial features change.

"I'm not some dog!" She snapped.

"Sorry about my sister." Allen said. "She gets very clingy to her men." Allen said with a frown. "She knew how we, well… that short time…"

"Yes I know." Hitomi said. "That is why it is so difficult to call someone who has kissed me oni-chan." Hitomi said and Allen just grinned.

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Allen was announced with Celena some time ahead of her and she waited until her name was called. "Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, Wing Goddess, Seer from the Mystic Moon, high priestess, Messiah of Gaea." The man said and the whole room seemed to have quieted down. She tried not to blush as she felt so many eyes on her as she walked in to the crowd and tried to make her way over to Merle. Hitomi tried not to sigh as she watched Van dance with the other girls. Princess and ladies of royalty. He looked so handsome in that outfit, gods, she wondered why life was so unfair!

"Hitomi, people are staring at you." Merle said. "Oh great Messiah." Merle said snickering.

"Oh my god, from where?" Hitomi asked as she tried not to look too suspicious to be looking for them.

"All around you Hitomi. They've been staring and whispering all night." Merle said.

I blushed. Was it because they heard about the Messiah part? Oh gods she wanted to faint! It was at that moment she felt Allen's presence as he made his way to her. He took Hitomi's hand and kissed it. "Lady Hitomi, may I have this dance?" Allen asked.

"But I don't know any of the dances!" Hitomi protested.

"Don't worry, they're easy to follow." Allen said and glanced over at Van. "I am sure that my dancing is much better then the partners his highness is getting." Allen whispered quietly and I almost laughed. "I do not step on people's feet."

"Alright." Hitomi finally agreed and she felt Merle shoot a death glare at her. "Don't worry Merle. I still…. You know…" Hitomi said in to the cat girl's ear and went with Allen.

_"I'll use her as a scratching post if she betrays Van-Sama with him again!"_ Merle thought as she tried to control her temper.

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Allen was a good dancer, it was at that moment when she saw Celena dancing with _her_ Van. She tried not to looser her tempter but that was difficult. Van was hers and hers alone. Then again, no he wasn't, not any more, not after tonight. She danced one round with Allen and then sat out the rest. There was no point in even trying to have fun, she didn't want to since she knew what the out come was. She knew that Van would choose a woman tonight, she was sure of that. She was beginning to wish, that five years ago, he had never allowed Van in to talking to her about going back. She wished that she had found out how she felt about Van before he had ever made that stupid promise.

_"I will get you back to the Mystic Moon."_ Van had promised as they flew back to Fanelia to meet Folken on that day. _"Or back to Allen..."_ How long had Van loved her? She denied him that love the entire time! She could have had months with Van, many happy months even though they where running away from just about anyone or anywhere. She wanted to go back in to the room that Van had let her stay in and cry, but Allen-San wouldn't let her. Or as Allen had now claimed, "Allen Oni-san." She had to smile at the thought. Allen being her older brother, it was so strange to even think about! Her eyes glanced at Van as she and Allen danced, he was with another woman yet again. His eyes seemed to have found hers and he gave her a weird look since he noticed who she was dancing with. Van didn't really have any right to give her that look but she couldn't help but being annoyed. She knew how he felt about Allen in the past but he should know by now that he had her heart.

"You catch on very quickly Lady Hitomi." Allen said as he noticed the two star-crossed lovers eyeing one another.

"You're a good teacher, Allen-san, this dance, I seem to know it some how. I don't know how but I just know it." I explained as I looked in to the Knight of the Heaven's blue eyes. "There arn't any dances like this back on the Mystic Moon." I said.

"Perhaps you're just a natural." Allen suggested.

"Perhaps, I don't know." I said and was relived when the dance was over. I started to head back to Merle but it so happened that she got to dance with Van before I did and I tried to ignore it. A young woman came over to me and I looked at her strangely as she started to studder as she tried to say something. "Yes?" I asked.

"Is is true Lady Hitomi?" The woman who I found out later was the Princess of Kyion asked.

"Is what true?" I asked and looked at her strangely.

"That you can... see things?" She asked.

_"Gods... help me this is going to really be a long night!"_ I shouted in the back of mind and knew that everyone was tempted to as me questions such as this one. "Yes," I answered as politely as I could. "I can."

She gave me a strange look. "Is it true that all of the people from the Mystic Moon are cursed as well?" The princess asked and that's when I snapped. "Are all of the people on Gaea cursed Princess?" I asked and she gave me a startled look. "Just because there are rummors about something, rummors are usually just rummors." I said as I tried to keep my tempor at bay. "Excuse me Princess Maiya, but it is Lady Hitomi's turn here to dance." Van said and seemed to sense my tension.

"Yes, sorry your highness." Princess Maiya said and blushed fiercely. I tried to keep myself from rolling my eyes. _"Gods she just likes him because he's a king!"_ The voices in my mind shouted at one another and I gracefully took Van's hand. "I'd be honored to dance, your highness." I said and noticed that my voice was a different tone with Van then it was with the princessI had to admit that Van was good looking and very handsome, but if this woman had found out what he was, she would want nothing of him, most people wouldn't. Like herself, Van's people whereconsidered cursed as well. "Thanks for saving me back there." I said as I moved close to him as heinstructed me on how the dance went knowing of my knowledge of howthingswhere here.

"Any time." Vansaid barely moving his lips."_How was it that he was_ _able to do that_?"My thoughts wondered as I stared in to his crimson red-brown eyes. I didn't even feel ashamed that I was wearing only an outfit that was a normal typical day outfit on Earth, Van's eyes seemed to do strange things to me when I looked in them, aand that's all the reassurance that I needed.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Why where you dancing with Allen for?" Van asked me with an annoyed tone of voice and his eyes looked at me strangely.

"He asked me and got me out of a tough situation." I said telling the truth. "Well this is a ball isn't it?" I asked and Van just frowned.

"I don't want you around him." Van said.

"What else do you expect me to do?" I asked in a hiss of a whisper. "Stand around and watch you dance the whole time?" I asked him angrily.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." Van said with a sigh. "Let's just dance before the next girl has a chance to kill my feet even more."

"Some of them are that bad? You would think that these people would know how to dance." I said trying not to laugh.

"You'd be surprise. Most of these people aren't from Fanelia so they aren't use to the dances. I'm surprised that you have it down." Van said somewhat shocked.

"That's because Allen taught me." I said and Van frowned again. "I guess like I owe him one." Van said and tried not to shake his head.

I just smiled. "See, Allen-San isn't all that bad. I have to admit that it was sort of weird."

Van smiled. "I would imagine."

"What the heck is up with this crap about me being a messiah?" I asked suddenly and Van looked at me with a strange look.

"That was Dryden's doing." Van said bashfully.

I groaned, the next time I see Dryden, I would have to kick him for that. I didn't even notice that everyone's eyes in the room where upon us and I blushed fiercely. Van must have noticed since he gave me reassuring eyes. "Don't worry just keep doing what your doing and you'll be fine." Van said and I looked at him and wondered how he talked with out moving his lips. The song ended, and the whole room seemed to be clapping. I blushed as I curtsied and Van bowed. I tried not to frown when my turn was over. I moved to the side and Van began to dance again. I felt sorry for him, having to dance with a large number of single women, me included. I couldn't help but to blush as I remembered the caring look in Van's eyes.

"Wonderful dance Lady Hitomi." A man said and I turned to look who was talking to me. "Thank you sir." I said not knowing who he was.

"Forgive my sister, sometimes she doesn't think before she speaks and just says whatever it is she's thinking." The man said, he was young, older then Van, but still young enough, he would have been handsome if I hadn't already had my eyes on Van.

"Sister, whose your sister?" I asked curiously.

"The woman you where speaking with earlier, Princess Maiya." The man said. "I am Prince Sai of Kyion." The man said.

"Oh." I said feeling stupid. "Don't worry, I was wondering when someone would ask me that when I came here tonight." I explained. "People use to ask me that all of the time before."

"Good, thanks." Prince Sai said. "You know Knight Allen?" The man asked.

"Yes, we are old friends." I said not lieing. _"And it seems as if we're family now." _ I thought.

"I'm surprised that…"

"What about me, Prince Sai?" Allen asked as he came over to Hitomi with Celena.

"That Lady Hitomi knows the greatest knight in Asturia." Prince Sai finished.

"Of course, who doesn't know me or hasn't heard about me?" Allen boasted.

"Oni-Chan, calm down." Celena hissed and Allen just patted her on the head. "I'm not a child any more Oni-Chan." Celena hissed again.

"Yes I know, it's just that you're so much shorter them me." He winced as his foot was stepped on. "That was uncalled for Celena, you should know by now when I'm joking with you." Allen said.

"Yes well you should know by now not to do that in public." Celena said and glanced over to Hitomi and Sai. "Forgive my brother he can be rude sometimes."

"No, there's nothing to forgive." I said. "He doesn't seem rude to me." I said.

"Then again, you wouldn't would you? Lady Hitomi?" Celena asked and I just stared at her wondering what she meant by that.

"If you'll excuse me I shall be going back to my sister now." The young prince said and excused himself and left.

"I don't like that man." Allen said softly to Hitomi. "I don't think you should be alone with him."

"Funny, Van said the same thing about you." Hitomi said trying not to laugh and watch as Allen frowned.

"That's Van-Sama, or his highness." Celena said.

"Allen gets to say just Van's name." I whispered trying not to loose my temper.

"Yes well Oni-Chan is…"

"No excuses Celena. You know, I have no trouble knowing who you where onced turned in to." I whispered to Celena. "But keep your nose out of my personal business. Who I talk to and how I talk to them is up to me unless if _they_ correct me other wise. Until them I shall…" I felt a slap across my face.

"You people from the Mystic Moon are so rude." Celena said as she raised her voice some.

"I'm sorry I'm not the one who dragged you over here to come to me." I said as I tried to keep calm. "Rude, you people from the Mystic Moon?" I asked with my voice rising slightly to a dangerous level. "Do not even get me started on your behavior, Lady Celena." I said and watched as she shot me a dangerous look once again. "Those eyes of yours do not frighten me _Lady_ Celena." I said and watched as she just looked at me with those same hateful eyes. "I have seen much worse."

She stormed off and Allen just sighed. "Sorry." Allen apologized.

"No Allen-San, she should be the one to apologize." I said as I tried to calm myself and watched as Merle walked over. "Please excuse me Allen-San." I said and he nodded and walked after his sister.

"What was that all about?" Merle asked me as she brought me to the side.

"It was nothing, just _Lady_ Celena's lack of a sense of humor." I said and the cat girl frowned.

"Your cheek looks terrible, worse then that time when I slapped you." Merle said sighing. "Van-Sama will not be pleased about that you know." Merle said.

"I think she _"likes"_ Van-Sama." I said and Merle looked at me strangely. "She seemed rather annoyed when I accidentally called him just by his name and that's how things got started.

"Yes well, it is rumored that you two love one another." Merle said and I could feel my whole face heat up. "She must have heard it."

"She got upset that I said that Allen-San gets to call Van-Sama just Van and she started on me." I explained.

Merle sighed. "If Van-Sama saw that or hears about that he's going to flip." Merle said shaking her head.

"I hope he won't hear about it and won't be told about it." I said and ignored the pain in my cheek. "It feels worse then the time when you slapped me a dozen times." I said and Merle just laughed nervously.

"Yes well I had a reason for that, she didn't. I could go uses her as a scratching post?" Merle suggested and I restrained a laugh. "That's fine, at least hopefully we won't have to see her very often." I said sighing and shook my head.

"I need to tell you something." Merle said and pulled me away on to the roof and I felt strange sitting there. "You know how hard it was to get up here? How do you expect me to get down?" I asked.

"No one saw us, no one usually comes out to the balcony during balls." Merle explained. "I'll help you down great Messiah."

"What is it that you want to talk to me about?" I asked annoyed. "Van will notice if we are missing from the ball." I said.

"Van-Sama still has a terrible obsession with you Hitomi." Merle said sadly. "I knew that I lost long ago after he realized his feelings for you and he has denied himself of love ever since. If you are not willing to stay this time with him then don't get close or anything."

I sighed. "It's a little too late for that Merle." I said and she gave me a sharp glance that would have hurt anyone who wasn't use to them. "Van has to choose a wife tonight and so I have lost. He knows how I feel but yet he invited me here." I said trying not to cry. "I had to be dragged here by Allen-San tonight just to come." I rested my head on my knees as I hugged them. "It's not fair, I finally get to come back and it happens to be the day that he has to choose a wife!" I wanted to throw something but found nothing but the roof and did not want to destroy that. "DAMN POLITICS!" I said loudly but not loud enough for the people inside to hear. It was at that point that tears came down my cheeks and I shamefully and selfishly let them fall.

"Believe in him, Hitomi." Merle said and I could hear my grandmother's voice in the back of my mind. _"Believe in him."_ My grandmother had told me during my first visit here. _"Believe in Van."_ I thought and whipped the last remaining tears. "I didn't give him up to let one of these damn snotty royals take him." Merle said. "They won't accept who he truly is once they find out."

I had liked his wings because my people believe in angels and he had reminded me of an angel. He was my angel, my knight, and my king. No one would have him but me as long as I stayed here. I wanted him as mine, I had realized this a long time ago. "Let's go back in." I said and Merle just looks at me. "I want to be there for Van, even if I have to watch him dance with all of those women."

"It should be just about over now." Merle said and I looked at her with wide eyes. "What?" I nearly shouted.

"I mean that Van-Sama should be done dancing with all of the women by now." Merle explained. "Let's get back down."

I still felt embarrassed about my clothing. MERLE was dressed better then me. I was wearing plain blue skirt and white shirt that could hardly be considered a blouse. I looked so distasteful against some of the elegant dresses that the women wore. I was still rather embarrassed every time I saw them. Me and Merle walked back inside and Van was sitting down on his throne, taking a short rest as the ball continued. It was nearly midnight when Van was forced to stand up and speak.

"I thank you all for coming to this ball to which my counsel has planned." Van said as if trying to hide his real emotions. "I know that some of you had come far to represent your country since this ball was arranged for me to choose the woman who I will marry." Van continued and could feel all eyes on him and he tried not to direct his gaze at Hitomi. "However, no matter how far you have come, there is one that has come even farther, the one who I had chosen from the start." Van said and managed to hide the blush on his cheeks. "Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, of the Mystic Moon." Gasps could be heard from the crowd and my cheeks burned and I knew that they must have been at least a hundred different shades of red if there where a hundred different shades. Van walked over to me since my body was still and could not move. Van took my hand and I stared at him. "Do you accept, Lady Hitomi?" Van asked loud enough for all to hear. My heart pounded and felt as if it might decide to fly out of my chest.

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If you're looking for a disclaimer, look on my profile page.. Or the last one or where ever it was I put it.


	5. Chapter 5

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

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My heart was pounding fast and Van's eyes locked with mine. Gods, looking in to his eyes made me feel weak in the knees every time. "_Gods, help me remain standing since everyone is looking!"_ I shouted in the back of my mind. "Yes your highness, I accept." With out further hesitation I felt him quickly place his lips against mine and I had to force myself to keep my eyes shut as he kissed me. For it was hard to kiss someone you had loved so much in front of a whole room with more then fifty pairs of eyes on you. I could feel so many emotions being swept through the air at that moment. I felt hatred, jealousy, confusion, frustration, those where the main emotions that I could feel through the room; however there where some other emotions as well. Happiness, joy, and what I felt from Van mostly, was love.

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Van walked me to my room after the ball that night and we where both very tired. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that." Van said to me once we where inside my room.

I was still blushing fiercely. "Van, do you really want to marry me?" I asked as I stared in to his eyes. Gods his eyes made me feel so strange, so weak, so helpless. I know that I should have been able to control myself and shouldn't have been acting so girly since I was considered a tomboy back on earth, however, around Van, I couldn't help but act the way I was acting. He made me feel so well the feeling was so hard to describe.

"Yes." Van answered and grabbed hold of my hand and held it. "I do, for the past five years I have been dreaming of marring you, Hitomi." Van said and I blushed fiercely. I was glad that neither one of us had turned on the lights by that time since my face would have been as red as Van's shirt.

"Van…" I asked embarrassedly.

"What?" He asked as he leaned his head against my shoulder.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" I asked and his head instantly jerked up and I wondered what the limit was to the whole blushing situation since I felt as if my face went two-hundred times brighter then it was already. I knew that there where a lot of different shades of red, but there couldn't have been an endless amount of shades. "Not like that Van, but I mean just next to me?" I asked and Van seemed to frown.

"Yes." Van said somewhat disappointed. "I will. Don't worry; I won't touch you in that way tonight." Van promised. "As much as I would like to; I have waited five years, I can wait to have you a while longer."

"Van…" I said and wished that my cheeks would stop heating already.

"Don't feel bad, I shouldn't have said anything." Van said now being the one to blush and I tried not to laugh. He was so innocent, so sweet, it was almost nerve recking.

"Your different Van." I said and it was my turn this time to lean my head against his shoulder.

"Different?" Van asked somewhat sleepily.

"Yes, more calm, not so hostile any more." I said. "Has peace really come to Gaea?" I asked and felt Van fall the bed and I beside him. I moved my head up on to his chest and felt his arm instantly around me. "I'm not complaining and I think I could get use to this side of you. I'm sure that if I had realized it sooner, you would have been this way to me a long time ago." I said sleepily. "You must be tired, I'm sure that you want to change out of that so…" I said and stopped myself.

"Yes, I'm tired, but it's worth loosing sleep just as long as I get to hear you speak." Van said. "I've missed that, your presence, your voice, your eyes…" Hitomi could feel his heart beat start to get faster as he said these things.

"You'll see me tomorrow, I promise." I said as I sat up. "You need your rest. At least change so you'll be comfortable when you sleep Van." I begged and he sat up and kissed my forehead.

"I don't know how I lived these past five lonely years with out you." Van said as he got up and walked to the other door that led to his bedroom. "I'll be back." Van said hesitantly and closed the door behind him, only out of habit.

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Van came back wearing a pair of pants and a shirt. I on the other hand, still had nothing to wear besides my outfit. I assumed that Van normally didn't wear pants and a shirt to bed but probably went to bed shirtless. I still blushed and was a bit uncomfortable in the skirt that I was going to sleep in and tried to hide it. I had just slept in my shirt the night before since it was long enough to cover my underwear. It was tucked in so you couldn't tell how long it was. He shut off the lights as he entered the room and laid down next to me.

"Is that what your going to wear?" Van asked.

"It's the only thing I got." I said blushing and I had just calmed down damn it!

"Sorry, well have to take care of that tomorrow then won't we?" Van asked softly. "We didn't have enough time since we didn't know you where coming."

"I didn't know I was either." I said blushing as I felt his arm around me.

"Good night, Hitomi Kanzaki." Van said and kissed me once again.

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When Van woke up that next morning, he was still somewhat tired, but didn't care. He felt the woman he loved and was going to marry next to him when he finally realized that it wasn't just all a dream. He wanted to groan at the thought of having to go to work today, but as a king, work was never ending, even at night people would come running in and knock on his door for him to wake up and come to do whatever it was that was needed done before he finally was able to fall back asleep. He had wondered when his obsession over Hitomi started and he had asked himself this question many times in the past. He always figured that it was when Hitomi had told him that she liked his wings. No one besides Merle had told him that before and he thought of Merle as a little sister and nothing more even though he had known that Merle had feelings for him. His eyes narrowed at the spot to where he had seen Celena smack Hitomi on the cheek and could barely keep himself from lashing out on to the girl in public. He hadn't said anything to Hitomi yet since he knew that she most likely didn't want him to know. He had known that Celena liked him as much as it grossed him out he still had to be nice to her when he was around her. Celena, Dilandau, both had shared the same body but not the same personality. Dilandau had been the crazy blood thirsty man who destroyed his country and Celena was completely different; or at least to what he had seen the few times he was around her. Anyway, both had an equal obsession over him, or at least Merle had told him that Celena had an obsession over him. Dilandau just wanted to kill him and Celena wanted to love him, it made his head hurt thinking about it.

He moved slightly to get out of the warm spot in bed but felt Hitomi's arms clutched around his waist. "Van…" She said. "What is it, Hitomi?" Van asked Hitomi quietly and could feel Hitomi nuzzle against him and realized that she was still asleep. Van sighed as he managed to carefully pribe Hitomi's fingers off of him with out waking her up and slid off of the bed. He would have liked to stay there a while longer, but that wouldn't be happening today. No, he had things that he had to do, and one of them was most likely picking an argument with the counsel since they most likely didn't approve of him choosing Hitomi as his future bride. He didn't care, he had waited too long and if they didn't approve, then the hell with them.

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"You can not do this to us my lord; do you know what it is that they say about the people from the Mystic Moon?" A man protested as Van had expected that they would as soon as he arrived, the doors had barely closed behind him and they where already protesting.

"SHUT UP!" I shouted and everyone just looked at me in shock. "I don't care what you say or think about her. As cursed as she is, and as cursed as I am, _we_ where the ones who saved Gaea, where we not?" I asked and every one just looked at me in silence. "Has she not proven worthy enough to be Queen of Fanelia?" I asked and felt at least five pairs of eyes on me as I walked toward the front of the room. "I am cursed as well remember? Unless if you have forgotten my mother already." I said and the whole room was silent. "Say as you wish but I am going to marry Hitomi Kanzaki."

"Your affections for her are clouding your mind my lord." A middle aged man said which made me turn my already angry eyes at his direction. "We could have allies with…" He was silenced once I had pulled my sword out and moved it to his throat.

"I was the one who has put you on this counsel, councilor." I said and the man looked at me with frightened eyes. "I put you since you once appeared trust worthy and loyal, you saying such words are considered treason against your future queen." I said with out emotions. I then put the sword back in its sheath and started to walk back up to the front of the room. "Was it not your idea, counsel, to have the ball for _me_ to choose _my_ wife?" I asked. "Marrying for politics is only done in times of war and uncertainty Damien, remember that."

"Yes my lord." Damien said nervously and I looked to the other five who where currently in the room. "If you weren't going to be happy with my decision in the first place, you should have arranged a marriage before I could. You had five years to do that, this is your own fault. If I hear any more words of treason then you will be sorry." I promised. "Does everyone understand me?" I asked and there where no protests this time. "You all said that my mother was cursed once, and every one of you had grown to respect her or acted like you respected her." I said and everyone was quiet. "At least give Lady Hitomi a chance before you say anything, she is the _Messiah_ of Gaea, after all. That alone should deserve some respect, no matter if she is from Gaea or not. Then again technically, none of us are from Gaea originally." I said and everyone looked at the floor. "You seem to forget that my mother's people had created this planet and that we originally come from the Mystic Moon."

Everyone became quiet then, they all just looked at him with strange looks on their faces. "I am King of Fanelia!" I said reminding them. "My own father has even chosen his wife, my mother out of love, and not politics! Do not forget that. He picked Varie after what everyone said about her. My mother proved you all wrong!" I had won this fight, the argument that Hitomi would be queen was over. I sat down in my chair and looked at them. "What's next?"

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I woke up to find Van already gone and sighed having had wished that he would have woken me up before he left. At least, I was still on Gaea that was all that mattered to me right now. Van would be my husband once the wedding day came, and hopefully it would be a happy marriage with out any war. That is what I hopped for at least. A woman entered my room and I looked at her as she placed a tray of food in front of me. "Eat." She ordered and I just stared at her. "Huh?" I asked.

"I said eat!" The woman repeated, it was the same woman from yesterday. "Aya-San…." I said remembering her name.

"You lied to me, Lady Hitomi." Aya snapped and I wished that I had something to hide beneath. "You said that you would eat later and you did not eat until late that afternoon!"

"How did you find out about that?" I asked nervously and she gave me such a strange look that it gave me chills down my spine.

"I asked the cook that's what, he said that you never showed up for the morning meal. You will not leave this bed until you eat, do you understand? His highness would not like it if his future queen's strength demolished since she was not eating!"

"Yes ma'am!" I said quickly and picked up the silver wear and began to eat. "Everyone knows about that already?" I asked blushing and stopped eating for a moment and then felt those strange eyes on me again and began to eat.

"Yes, or at least everyone in the palace knows." Aya replied. "I heard that he kissed you to, in front of all of those people." Aya said just edging at something.

My face blush a bright red and my hand stopped moving. "Everyone knows about that to?" I asked rather embarrassed and could feel my cheeks heat up.

"Yes Lady Hitomi they do. I was instructed that I should get the tailor to get you some cloths made today." Aya said. "This means that after you eat and bath that I take you to where she is."

I wanted to see Fanelia, how it looked now. It must have looked wonderful since it had to be almost completely done built not. I finished and took a bath and dressed in to the only outfit that I had. I wondered if they did something for underclothes that was different then Earth since I would go insane if I had to wear the same pair of underwear for another five days! I hate to hand wash them and hoped that they quickly dried and walking around wearing nothing more then a skirt wasn't a very pleasant site, no it wasn't my friends, I tell you it was horrible! How did I live through this the last time I was here? Oh yeah, I remember now, I was too busy running all the time to even care. I sighed. I just hoped that I didn't start my monthly soon that would be really gross!

I would have rather gone to the woman's shop, but Aya had already called her to the palace; I was pretty sure that that was Van's doing. Van probably didn't want me to go running off just yet, and I couldn't figure out why, if Fanelia and Gaea was at peace then I should be able to go where I wanted right?

"What about this material Lady Hitomi?" The tailor asked me as she pulled out a beautiful red silky type of material. I just gapped at it like an idiot.

"I don't think so Sakura, she would just ruin it." Merle said and I just glared at her. "What makes you think that I would ruin it Merle?" I asked, my eyes glaring at her.

"Because it's _you_ baka, you where the one who ripped off half of the dress that Hime Millerna gave you the last time you where here, or do you not remember that?" Merle asked.

"That's because it was difficult to run in such a long dress! If I hadn't done that then you want to know what would have happened to you know who?" I nearly shouted. Merle fell silent. "Whatever." The catgirl said and seemed to remain quiet in her seat.

"Merle, what do you think, do you think that he'll like it?" I whispered in Merle's ear.

"Now you want to be nice to me!" Merle said.

"You're the one who started it!" I protested and she sighed again.

"Yes, I think so." Merle replied and I just looked at her strangely. "You don't know anything about this type of thing do you?"

"Normally at home they already have the cloths made and you just pick out the ones that you like and fit you." I explained. "Their not specially sown. The last time I had a specially sown outfit was when I was nine and my mother made me a Halloween costume." I explained. That seemed to have Merle help me a lot after that. We picked out a few, enough for at least six outfits or so even though I didn't think I needed that many. Sakura said that this would be enough for now so she would have time to work and get them done. She took my measurements and asked me to get undressed which made me uncomfortable so she could measure my waist and chest sizes properly with out the skirt and blouse on.

"What's this?" She asked and pointed to the bra.

"It's for support." I said blushing fiercely. "Can't you do this with my cloths on… I don't like people looking at me naked."

"Yes well your cloths are kind of poofy." Sakura explained. "I also need measurements for your undergarments as well." Luckily for me, Merle and Aya where waiting in the next room. I gave in and let the woman do her work. "Next time I'll have your measurements so you won't have to do this." Sakura explained. "If you wish to continue to use me of course."

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Merle entered my room once Sakura left, taking the measurements and the types of material that we have chosen out. "Thanks." I finally said once we where alone.

"For what?" Merle asked.

"Helping me pick out the material." I said. "I'm sure that you have to do that more often then I do so…"

"Yeah well you would have probably taken all day to pick them out anyway." Merle said snickering. "You really don't choose your cloths like that on the Mystic Moon?" Merle asked.

"No." I replied. "We don't."

"Weird." Merle said. "Anyway I also know what Van-Sama would like or have an idea to what he would like on you anyway. You owe me." The cat girl said. "Twice now."

"No, we're about even now." I said slyly and she looked at me. "For as many times as I saved you the last time, I think we'll call this even."

"Done." Merle said instantly not wanting to remember those few times. "Van-Sama still doesn't know about Celena slapping you." Merle explained. "I won't say anything unless if word gets out. Besides Van-Sama would be pissed if he found out at you for not telling him, me for not telling him, and Celena for touching you in the first place, and Allen for not controlling his sister." Merle sighed. "Gods I hope he doesn't find out."

"He didn't say anything last night, unless if he was too tired to or too happy to." I suggested. "Hopefully he doesn't know. He hates Allen-San enough already."

"Can you really blame him?" Merle asked. "You and Allen where so groggily eyed it was sickening!"

"You don't have to remind me. I regret all of that now." I snapped and Merle grinned. "The only reason why I'm letting _you_ have Van-Sama is because it's what Van-Sama wants." She said slyly. "I won't let someone named Celena have him or anyone else. If you do something, I'll use you for a scratching post."


	6. Chapter 6

I have these chapters already written, it just depends on how many reviews I get before I decide to put them up. Yes, I am evil, but if it gets reviews, it gets me reviews.

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**CHAPTER SIX**

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I blushed brightly as Van pushed me up against the wall and looked at me. "Van…" I breathed.

"Hitomi, I love you, you know that right?" Van asked me in what sounded like a pleading voice.

"Yes Van, but…" I protested and he kissed me. Gods I didn't want to do this until I was married but I couldn't help myself. Why was it that hormone's could easily take over a person's sense of control. "We need to stop." I said as I realized that my hands where going up his shirt, ready to take it off at any moment. "I'm sorry Van, I love you, and I know that you love me, but I want to wait until we're married to do this." I begged and managed to hold my body back from doing the opposite to what I was saying. He sighed and just held me and rested his head against me. "I'm sorry Hitomi." Van apologized. "I've just been waiting so long to be with you."

"I'm sorry Van, I know how you feel and you know how I feel. I.. I just want to wait until the right moment." I said.

"When we're married you mean." Van corrected me and I sighed. "Yes, when we're married." I agreed. "I'm sorry." I apologized.

"You have nothing to apologize for; it is I who is at fault." Van said. "I should have been able to hold myself from wanting to do that." My knees suddenly buckled from underneath me, and had it not been for Van's quick reflexes I would have been on the floor. "What's wrong?" Van asked quickly and worried.

"I don't know…" I answered truthfully. "My legs just seemed to give away." He placed his hand to my forehead. "You're not running fervor, should I have a healer look at you?" He asked worriedly.

"No, I'll be fine; I just don't know why it happened that's all." I said and hoped that I would be fine. Before I could protest Van picked me up and put me on to my bed. "Van…"

"If you can't stand, I want you to sit for a while until you are able to stand again." Van answered and I shook my head and sighed. "You worry too much." I said as he sat next to me and I rested my head against his chest as he sat next to me. "You're warm…" I said blushing. "Can you sleep with me again tonight Van? I want to make up to you for not wanting to do that yet." I said.

"You don't have to make up for that, it is I who have to make it up to you, Hitomi Kanzaki." Van said sweetly. "Yes, of course." He said almost forgetting about her sudden collapse earlier. He climbed in to bed next to me and I fell asleep.

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Van woke up late that night hearing the sounds of troubled breathing and painful cries for help. He soon realized that it came from Hitomi. "Hitomi…" Van whispered to his future wife as he shook her gently to wake her. "Wake up…" He stooped instantly and had the dreadful feeling that something was wrong. "Hitomi!" He said again louder and could feel that her cloths where drenched in sweat. It wasn't too hot of a day and it was quite cool actually. She shouldn't have been bothered by the blanket so he brought his hand once again to her forehead and felt that it was very hot. Van's heart beat fast as he felt how hot her temperature was. "Hitomi…" Van said before he quickly jumped out of bed and ran out of the room not caring who saw him run out of her room. _'Healer…'_ He thought as his heart beat fast. _'I must get a healer!'_

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It was painful to breathe and she couldn't tell why, she felt someone touching her, not in any perverted way, but she could feel their cool fingers against her forehead. _"Van!"_ She tried to call out but could not make a sound. Why was it so hot? She hoped that the palace wasn't on fire again, no that wasn't possible, she could tell that she was still in her room and on her bed.

"Hitomi!" She could hear Van's worried voice call out to her as she laid there unmoving and mute. _"VAN!"_ She tried to call out but words where useless when you couldn't speak.

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"It is lucky that I know which poison it is." The healer said to Van who stood eagerly next to Hitomi's side. "Do whatever it is that you need to do to get her better." Van ordered.

"She'll still be in some pain after this and will be very weak. Right now she is unable to speak and move, and I'm not sure if her voice will come back after I give the antidote." The healer said.

"Just do it before it spreads through out her even more." Van ordered.

"Yes your highness, but it will take some time to prepare."

"How long?"

"No more then an hour, two at the most."

"How long does she have?" Van asked with a highly worried tone.

"Until sunrise the most." The healer answered. "I must go and quickly make the antidote; I have the things I need in my office."

"Go quickly then. Your office is not too far from the palace, I'll have one of my fastest horses to take you." Van said.

"Yes, thank you. I will be back before sunrise."

"GO!" Van ordered loudly and the healer ran out. Van moved back to the bed and sat next to Hitomi and dipped the dried cloth back in to the bowl of water and made it damp before replacing it on her forehead. "Come back to me, Hitomi." He pleaded and sat by her side and held her hand. He didn't know what more he could do, his heart raced as panic swept through his entire body.

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The hour felt as if it had passed by slowly and Merle had somehow heard of Hitomi's poison and came to sit with him in her room. "She'll be alright Van-Sama!" Merle tried to reassure Van who looked like crap at this point. "The healer should be back soon." Merle said in a calm manner.

"I hope that you're right Merle." Van said and Merle looked at him and notice that tears where now coming down his face. "The healer said that it would take her two hours at the most to get the antidote made and that Hitomi would be weak even after she took it and possibly mute!" Van said and felt comforting hands of his adopted younger sister holding him.

"She'll be alright Van-Sama, Hitomi has gotten through things worse then this before." Merle said as she tried to comfort the man she loved. "She'll be alright, she has to be."

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Hitomi looked around her as she felt herself drift away. "Is this heaven?" She thought as she looked at the serene place around her.

"No." A familiar voice said. "This is the world between the living and the dead." Her grandmother's voice told her and then moments later Hitomi saw her grandmother appear.

"Grandma…" Hitomi said somewhat shocked. "Am I dieing?" She asked.

"Yes." Her grandma replied. "I have come to send you back however; it is not yet your time."

"How, I wasn't seriously wounded or anything." I protested.

"You where poisoned." Hitomi's grandmother replied. "If the antidote is not given to you before sunrise you will truly die."

"Poisoned… that would explain a lot to why dinner tasted weird." I said trying to make things humorous. "Van, gods, Van will be sad." I said and then fell to my knees. "I don't want to make Van sad."

"Then fight." Grandmother said. "Fight to live for the man you love."

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The healer came back an hour later and rushed in to the room. "She needs to take this, your highness." The healer said quickly and ordered Van and Merle to the side. She lifted Hitomi's head up and forced open the lips and put her head down when it was done.

"At least she was able to drink enough." The healer said sighing. "She might have done it subconscious but it was done."

"So she'll be alright now right?" Merle asked.

"That all depends on her." The healer replied. "I have done all I can."

Van said nothing; he just sat at Hitomi's side and held her hand.

"Remember, she will be weak and may still be mute. This poison leaves the victim with a high fervor, paralyzed, and mute. They also have a hard time to breath and can feel pain for no reason. That antidote took all of that away. The fever will take a while to get back to normal and that other thing…" She started to say.

"Hitomi…" Van said as he watched Hitomi open her eyes and look up at him.

_"Van…"_ She tried to say but no words came out. She felt Van put his head on her and could feel wet tears soak her blouse. She somehow managed to bring her tired arms up to hold him. _'Why doesn't my voice come out?'_ She looked around worried. _'Why?'_

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She later found out that she had lost her voice which was a slight cost since she almost lost her life. She was forced to stay in bed for the day even though she felt better. Van was pissed that someone had tried to kill her and was still on the loose. She hated it when Van visited her since things where so strange. She could tell that he was smiling, it wasn't a real smile, knowing that it was fake. She rested her head against Van's chest. Van just looked down at her and held her. She wanted to speak with him, she liked being able to speak to him and he wouldn't tell her what was going on. She was stuck here, in this room, as a prisoner. Guards where posted out of her door and Van locked his room when he left so she couldn't get out that way. _"Van…"_ She wanted to say. _"I'm sorry."_ Van had to leave and she was alone again. Merle came to visit her and brought her some flowers.

"Thanks." I wrote down on a piece of paper to which I managed to get my hands on from someplace.

"Well that's better then the way that we've been communicating." Merle said and I glared.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" I wrote. "Anyway, how's Van taking all of this? Has he talked to you about it?" I asked.

"I'm surprised that you're even strong enough to write." Merle said sighing. "Van-Sama's not doing too well. He acts strong on the outside but on the inside, I know he's upset at himself for not protecting you better." Merle replied with a sigh. "Sorry but I had to tell him about the fight that you and Celena had at the ball." Merle apologized.

"WHAT?" I wrote down angrily. "Now he's going to blame Celena, it might not have been her!"

"Van's asking the cooks who have been in the kitchen that night, they said that Celena hasn't been in there at all." Merle said. "Actually Allen and Celena left the very next morning after the ball since Allen had to get back to Asturia."

I sighed. All of this trouble for Van, just because of me, maybe I shouldn't have come back, then it would have been better for everyone. The door knocked at that moment and I looked up. "Go ahead and say who is it Merle, please, you know I can't speak." I wrote.

"Yes?" Merle asked.

"It's Sakura. I brought the first dress for Lady Hitomi." Sakura said. "The guards are giving me a hard time."

Merle sighed and walked to the door and opened it. "It's alright." Merle said and motioned for Sakura to come in.

"But!" One of the guards started to protest.

"No buts," Merle snapped. "Unless if you rather have Lady Hitomi go around naked."

I chunked something at Merle and watched as it missed. _"DAMN IT!"_ I shouted in the back of my mind. Merle closed the door and walked back over. Sakura showed me a red dress, which was the first material that I and Merle had picked out and I gaped at it. "It's beautiful!" I wrote down. It was a thin red strap with thin black stripes going up and down the center.

"Try it on." Sakura suggested. "I also brought you a change of underclothing." She said and noted to the bag. "I figured that you would most likely need a change by now."

"Van-Sama doesn't want Lady Hitomi getting up too much." Merle protested. "He'll have my neck!"

"I'll be fine if I stand for only a few minutes." I protested. "I'm not that weak!" I didn't have my full strength but my strength allowed me to stand for minutes at a time. Enough to get to the bathroom, I'd sit on the toilet seat and would change that way.

"Fine." Merle gave in. Merle reluctantly helped me to the bathroom and Sakura carried the bag with my under cloths and the dress and put them inside after Merle helped me inside. I sat down instantly once they shut the door and undressed. It was nice to get a change of underwear and the bra, there was none. I sighed again as I then reached for the dress and managed to pull it on sitting down.

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"Where's Hitomi?" Van asked Merle as he entered having had come on his short break to check up on her.

"She had to use the bathroom." Merle answered which wasn't a complete lie. She just didn't want to tell Van-Sama yet so this could be a surprise to him. She hated to admit it, but she knew that Van liked, loved Hitomi and that she would never compare with the love that Van had for Hitomi. She could just silently stand by and watch as her love was swept away in someone else's arms. She would gladly give it up though, the idea of being Van-Sama's wife. She would have a hard time getting over these feelings since it felt like every part of her was dieing, however, she knew that she would live, and she would have to be there for Van-Sama when he needed her.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" Van asked not meaning to be as rude as he sounded.

"You'll see your highness." Sakura said and a few minutes later Hitomi came out, walking slowly of course and stopped once she saw Van who stared at her.

"You look…" Van started to say but was interrupted by Hitomi falling. Van caught her before she fell to the floor. "Hitomi!"

I just looked at him blushing brightly as he carried me back to the bed and sat me down. "Sorry Van." I wrote and handed to him and he brushed my cheek. "Just don't push yourself too hard yet." He replied and forgot that Merle and Sakura where in the room and kissed me. When he broke the kiss he blushed and turned to Sakura. "Thanks Sakura, its…" He started to say.

"For her, yes I know your highness. I was paid to do this type of thing. I am considered the best out of many." Sakura said. "Excuse me, Merle can see me to the door."

My eyes shamefully looked at the floor as his gaze meant mine once we where alone. I wanted him to know how sorry I was for being such a pain in the ass. If he had chosen another would he have the same problem?

"Hitomi…" Van said wanting to know what was wrong.

I realized that I couldn't have him. I wanted him to be happy, and that happiness wouldn't be found if he stayed with me. I pushed him away as he touched my shoulder. I stood up and put some distance between us only to clumsily fall to the floor. _"DAMN!"_ I tried to shout but only noise came out. Why, why me? Why does everything terrible have to happen to me? Tears started to fall from my eyes and I felt Van's comforting arms around me moments later. I could feel that he was hesitant since I had just pushed him away moments before. Why did he love me? Why? I had betrayed him many times before and yet he still cared for me, he still loved me. He had waited five long years for me. WHY DID HE STILL FEEL THAT WAY! It was then when I felt him take hold of my hand and press something in to it after he managed to pribe open the tightly closed fingers. I looked at a black box in my hand and I stared at it wondering what it was. I opened it and gasped and looked at Van who just smiled.

"I love you, Hitomi Kanzaki." Van said with out hesitation. "I love you, never forget that." He said and took the ring which was heart shaped and placed it on my finger. "You will be my wife, Hitomi, you already promised me that." He said and I clung to him and cried.


	7. Chapter 7

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**

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I was eventually allowed to leave my room and walk short distances by the end of the week which was nice since I hated staying in one spot. My voice hadn't come back yet, but my strength was. I wanted things to be normal again, or at least how it was before I had been poisoned. Van had promised to take me horse back ridding once I was "well" again. Van's definition of well was me being back to full strength and able to walk more then a few feet with out collapsing to the ground. Actually it was less then a few feet that I was able to walk which sucked since if any one from my old track team saw me in this shape, they would laugh since I had become captain of the track team when I was in high school. My legs fell beneath me and I clung to the wall or tried to since it was a distance away but ended up on the floor instead. "DAMN IT!" I shouted in my head in frustration and could feel someone help me up. A young man, one of the palace guards I assumed. "Perhaps you should head back, my lady." The man said gently and kindly and I shook my head. "Not yet." I wrote on the pad of paper that I always took with me. Thank god that they discovered paper since I would go nuts trying to say what was in my mind or what I wanted to tell people.

"That's the second time Lady Hitomi." A woman said quietly, I assumed that Van had meant for her to be my personal care giver. Van was really too over protective.

"I'll be fine." I insisted not wanting to be secluded back to my room yet. I liked being outside and I hated sitting in one spot. It was a bad habit that I picked up, but it was also good since I use to be on the track team at school. I knew that my body couldn't take any more, but I didn't want to go back. I don't remember passing out, but I knew that it had to be sometime after I got up and started to walk again because I didn't remember anything after that. I woke up and found myself in my bed. Why was I so weak? I had lost my voice to poison and now my body was still fighting to be back to normal. Why me? Why did things always happen to me? I just wanted to be normal again. Then again, I wouldn't be normal, even if I did stay off of Gaea that first time that I came I wouldn't have been normal. I knew that, as much as I didn't want to admit it. I decided to lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The time on my wrist watch read that it was 7:30 in the evening. I groaned. I had been asleep for a better part of the day and now it was the evening hours. I just stared up at the high ceiling and didn't say a word. Not like I could speak in the first place, but I didn't really think much. I had to somehow be able to speak again and gain my strength back so Van wouldn't have to pretend not to be sad any more.

I hated seeing him sad, it made me want to cry every time he was. It made me feel that way because he was crying because of me. I didn't want him to feel that way, I wanted to make him happy, not sad.

"You shouldn't have pushed yourself earlier, Lady Hitomi." Aya said as she walked over to my bed. "Van-Sama was rather upset that we didn't stop you the first time you fell."

"I'm not some weak kitten who can't even stand!" I wrote as soon as I managed to find the pad of paper.

"Yes, I know, your strength is legendary." Aya said calmly. "However, you shouldn't push yourself." Aya said agreeing with Van. "He worries about you." She said. "You shouldn't betray that type of love."

My eyes shot a deadly glare at Aya, what the hell would she know of our love? Everyone knew that we loved one another, but that was it. No matter what was written in any text book or on any paper, nothing could express what we felt for one another, no other person could feel what we felt. The pain, the sorrow, the agony; the words she just said made me angry, I wanted to slap her or something.

"Take that anger to make yourself get well again." Aya said and I looked at her with a confused look now. "Don't push yourself too much, Lady Hitomi." She just said again. "I'll bring you some thing to eat." The door opened and Aya bowed instantly.

"At ease, Aya." Van said almost like an order and Aya just stood there and watched him.

"Your highness, have you eaten yet?" Aya asked and Van almost didn't seem to hear.

"No I haven't." Van said after having to think about it. "Why?"

"I'll bring something for you to then." Aya said. "If his highness wishes."

"Yes, thank you." Van replied and Aya bowed and left. "How do you feel, Hitomi?" Van asked me and sat down and I blushed brightly not knowing why.

"Fine." I wrote making sure that he didn't see what I had wrote on the other side. "I'm fine Van."

He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. "That's good." Van replied. "We can eat on the balcony if you want." Van suggested and I nodded. "My advisers tried to cancel the wedding because of your condition. You not being able to walk very well, I mean." Van said correcting himself. "I told them that you would hopefully be better by then, but the wedding would go on anyway even if you weren't. I told them that you would probably want it to." I nodded again happy.

"I can't believe that you still want to marry me even though I can't speak and can barely walk." I wrote and Van frowned. "Why would that change anything?" He asked angrily. "Why? Do you know how long I've waited for you? Nearly six years! Those days after you left felt like hell. I had to get use to the idea that you weren't going to be with me everyday. I couldn't speak to you everyday in person, I couldn't be near you as much as I wanted to. I wished I had let you stayed and broke that damn promise. If it wasn't for the fact that Balgus had promise to send you back that first day you where here, I would have let you stay. I sent you because of him!" Van said, his voice shaking.

My hand went to grab his and pulled it to my heart and he just stared at me as if not understanding. My heart was beating fast because of him, every time he just hugged me I had to resist the temptation of my hormones. I could see that he was blushing brightly. "I love you." I mouthed and moved up to place a kiss on his lips, with out hesitation. If it wasn't for the fact that Aya would come back at any moment, I would have let him make love to me right there, but we where expecting Aya. So he just carefully leaned me against the bed and kissed me. His hand enclosed in to mine, and even after he broke the kiss, he laid his head on my chest, listening to my heart beat. I just ran my fingers through his hair and we both jumped up once the door knocked.

"Yes?" Van asked.

"It's Aya sir." Van walked to the door at Aya's voice and opened it. He grabbed a tray. "Thank's Aya, you didn't have to do this you know." Van said.

"You need to eat your highness as well as Lady Hitomi." Aya said as she put the tray down. "I know how it is when you get caught up in things and never eat."

"Aya's one of my personal servants." Van explained to Hitomi. "Has been for a few years now."

"For a while he refused to eat anything for days." Aya said crossly. "I had to sit here and force it down and tied him up. He threatened to send me in to jail for it, but the guards agreed with my point of view." Aya said laughing. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Aya bowed and left the room once again. Van moved a small table outside to the balcony and two chairs that he managed to find with in the rooms. I just stared at him as he moved the furniture around and wanted to help, but knowing Van he would just tell me to sit and rest. It was a nice evening. The sun had set and the stars where coming out. Fanelia looked beautiful under the two moons, and the silver moon was full. "Earth." I thought as I stared up at home. "I wonder what everyone's doing right now." I sighed and looked back down and could feel Van's eyes on me.

"You miss it don't you?" Van asked and I just looked at him and shook my head. "No." I mouthed. "I don't miss it as much as I missed you when I couldn't be with you." I wrote blushing. "I can live with out being there, just as long as you're here. If anything happens to you I'd…" He took my hand and forced the pen out.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, I'm right here." Van said and I just smiled at him and leaned my head against his shoulder and nugged it and blushed as Van laughed. "Alright, alright, let's eat." Van said happily and we began to eat.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The day of our wedding came sooner then we thought. The advisers had arranged for it to be at the end of the month and it was that day already. I was excited even though I could barely hold my excitement; Van sure seemed to be able to. I was told of the traditional Fanelian royal wedding and I couldn't believe it. Four hours long just to say I do! The first hour was to get the groom and the bride ready. The second, the woman was suppose to go to the chapel to pray while the king made some speech or something like that. The third and fourth, that was the actual wedding. I couldn't believe it! I just wanted to have a simple wedding, but that wasn't going to happen. Then again, I was going to marry a king so it wouldn't be possible. The wedding was arranged so quickly that I was surprised. Right now, I was waiting in the chapel, suppose to be praying to the gods and goddess of Gaea. I didn't really know any of them so I didn't bother; I felt bad that I was pretending to pray, but my mind was racing else where. My thoughts where to what my life was going to possibly be like with Van as his wife and queen. My cheeks must have been a deeper shade of red then the pendant was because my face felt hot.

My dress was really long and hard to walk in since there where so many layers; it was bad enough that I had enough time walking but the healer said that I should be fine wearing it. I would kill Sakura the next time I seen her, had I known she would have made this wedding dress this many layers, I would have chosen another. I know it sounded conceded, but it couldn't be helped. It wasn't that it wasn't beautiful or anything, it was just too difficult to walk in. It must have cost a fortune! I could have never afforded something like this back on Earth.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was finally time, I was waiting next to Van. He took the veil that draped over my face and pushed it back over the crown that I now wore on my head. We started to walk and everyone bowed as we passed them. I had to hold back the tears in my eyes since it would have been embarrassing to cry at your own wedding. How long have I dreamed of getting married? Ever since I was a little girl I use to play with my dolls and get them married to my brother's action figures. It was pathetic, but every girl had to do it once in their life so here was my chance for it to be real. We bowed before the priest and it reminded me of Millerna and Dryden's wedding sort of, expect this time it was me and Van at the front and Millerna was waiting somewhere in the audience, quietly watching. It felt like it was going on forever. Van slipped the ring on my finger and I on his, he then kissed me and the crowd cheered. Once our kiss broke, I felt that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong and before I knew it, I felt that all too familiar light surround me. I looked at Van with panic stricken eyes as it lifted me off the ground and started to pick me up. I could see the horror in Van's eyes as well as he reached his hand out for mine and I enclosed my hand around the edge of his fingers and he tried to hang on.

"HITOMI!" Van shouted not caring about titles or any of that crap, he just cared about his wife, he wanted her safe, here on Gaea. "HITOMI!" He shouted again and the next thing I knew, Gaea was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Wow, don't I seem to be popular? Haha. Thanks for all of the reviews so far, it means a lot knowing how many people actually take the time out of their :coughs: busy lives to leave a review. Also I'm having writers block so it's going to take me a while to update now, that and plus finals are coming up soon so yeah, I'm going to be pretty busy the next few weeks so that's going to take time out of my schedule as well I hope you like the story and enjoy.

P.S. Death threats don't work on me, I already have a death wish in case you want to know and so far out of almost nineteen years of living, it hasn't come true yet so there you go.

P.P.S. I am also not responsible for any deaths, or other harmful actions that people take to themselves for being obsessed with my fics. Trust me, I have gotten reviews saying that they would kill themselves.

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**CHAPTER EIGHT**

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When Hitomi woke up she found herself still wearing her wedding dress, but she was back in her apartment. She forced herself up and ran frantically around the room hoping that Van might have returned with her. After she searched the last place, the last room in the small one bedroom apartment, she collapsed to the ground and cried. "Van…" She whispered out loud and gasped realizing that she had just spoken. "I can speak?" She thought to herself as she grasped hold of her throat. "It wasn't a dream was it?" No, she knew the answer to that question, the wedding dress proved it wrong and so did the two rings on her fingers as well as everything else she wore. She stared down at the wedding ring that Van had just slipped on to her finger and tears once again started coming. She clutched hold of the ring closely to her chest, knowing that it was stupid but she couldn't help it. They where finally together, but the goddess of the earth wouldn't allow it, Hitomi knew this now. They where lovers that could never be together, they would never be able to have a chance, she had helped the goddess of Gaea save Gaea but that goddess wouldn't help her in the end.

She had given up so much to save Gaea, why couldn't she be rewarded by love? In the end, she had only been rewarded with nothing but pain and agony since she had come back from Gaea; she wished that Van would have let her stay the first time she had gone, then only the gods knew what would happen. She had her voice back, but what good was that? She didn't have Van, Van was all that she needed. She knew that she was being a pitiful woman, a crybaby and one who was suppose to be a tomboy was being stupid. She slid down the side of the wall and lost all consciousness.

Van just stared up at the sky in shock, not knowing what to do. "HITOMI!" He shouted after the pink pillar of light, having had lost hold of Hitomi's grasp. "DAMN!" He shouted needing something to punch badly at the moment. "HITOMI!" He shouted again knowing that it would be useless, he dropped to his knees and stared up at the two moons. It was then when he heard the confusion of the crowd, some women screamed, some people talked amongst themselves, some just stared up in horror. He stood up and moved through the crowd needing to get out of there, and could tell that Merle was at his side instantly. He knew that she wanted to say something to him, but he shot one glare from her and she shut her mouth close instantly. What was he to do? Damn he didn't even know what to do, all he knew was that he had to get out of that crowd at that moment or he would kill someone! It was a good thing that he didn't have his sword on him at the moment or he would. He was too busy rampaging when he almost didn't notice that the royal family of Asturia and Fried had joined behind him. Even Allen was there with his sister who seemed to have a strange look on her face. He lead them to the conference room. "No one is to disturb us for no matter what reason." Van ordered the guards. "I don't care if it's some royal from this country or another I am not to be disturbed, do you understand me?" He asked the guards, his eyes narrowing on them.

"Yes sir." They answered as soon as Van had finished giving the order.

Van shut the doors behind them and looked at the people who had become his friends, Allen wasn't really but he was Hitomi's friend, a little too close of a friend for Van's comfort. Then again she wasn't here so there was no need to be worried about Allen, right now he was worried about Hitomi.

* * *

When Hitomi woke up, her eyes hurt from crying, she felt that most of her energy had returned to her and that she still wore her dress which noted that it wasn't just a dream. What was she to do? She had no way of contacting Van unless if he was trying to at the same time and what would she say to him if she did contact him? She wanted to start crying again but forced herself not to as she now stood up and headed back to her bedroom. She wasn't expecting anyone over but if anyone saw her in such a dress they would probably worry about her. She changed in to a pair of jeans and a shirt which felt strange to wear since she hadn't wore anything like this since she had been on Gaea for more then a month now. Or had she? She looked to her watch which was left on her counter and she realized that it said the day that she had left. 

She put the tiara away in to a safe place, her duffle bag since no one would think of looking there for the crown if anyone decided to rob her or whatever, and she put it in a box along with the other jewelry she wore for her and Van's wedding in there. The only thing that she wore, where the two rings that Van had given her, one was her and Van's wedding ring, which she wore on the ring finger, and she wore the second ring on her left hand, it had the same symbol that Van's sword had on it. She stared at it as she tried to keep herself from crying. She had no one, her parents where dead as well as her brother, Yukari and Amano where in America and they couldn't be bothered since they where planning for their own wedding. Hitomi's grandmother had died so she couldn't talk to her grandmother about it, oh gods, what was she going to do? She was going to die, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "Van…" She thought again as his image appeared in his mind and she once again fell to her knees and started to cry. Was she really this useless? She didn't know, all she knew was that she had to get back to him somehow.

"God, why, why can't I be with him?" She asked out loud. "Why? Why am I so cursed as if not to find any happiness in this life?" She had been unhappy ever since she had returned to this planet. Her parents had died because of her as well as her brother, her grandmother had died of old age, and Yukari and Amano left her not understanding to how she felt. Life, was it really worth living with out Van? She forced those thoughts out of her head.

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Not much to this chapter but hey, better then nothing right? I'd thank everyone individually for the reviews but do you realize how long that would take? I'm too lazy to even bother so thanks everyone! Reviews are an author's best friend for many reasons. 


	9. Chapter 9

_**Thank you once again everyone who has been reviewing this fic! The reviews mean so much to a writer since they help let the writer know how much they might like a story or hate it or might even give helpful hints. This is actually my second EscaFlowne story if I hadn't told you that already and so far I seem to be getting most of the names right which is a good thing. I might have said this before but it's a reminder for those of you who seems to think that violence will get the writer to write more. IT WON'T WORK: coughs: Sorry I'm hyper at the moment and well sugar + writing, it can do some strange things to you if you know what I mean. O.o Well anyway, enough of my rambling and on with the story!**_

**P.S. Advance warning! This is a much nicer version then what I had in mind for this **chapter.

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**CHAPTER NINE**

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When Hitomi woke up, she found her alarm clock blaring off at 7:00 am and the sun was shining through her bedroom window. She moaned as it was time for her to get up and her thoughts quickly went to the dream. She had been swept away back to Gaea, was poisoned and lost her voice, had then later on been married to Van and was sent back here after they just got married. Was it all just a dream? She wondered the dream felt so strangely real and she wondered why it felt as if it actually happened. She was wearing her normal pajamas which consisted of a pair of night pants and a matching shirt. There was no wedding gown or any thing else in the duffle bag, and no rings on her finger. She sighed at the sad dream and looked up at the sky, the sun had just risen and there was no sight of Gaea in sight. Then again, she had searched for it five years since she had returned to Earth from Gaea the first time. Why did she have to go through these pains of regret of ever leaving? 

"Hitomi! Come down and eat breakfast!" Hitomi heard her mother shout, she wondered why she dreamt that her family had died in the car accident. Such strange dreams she had when she was under pressure. When she walked down stairs, now fully dressed in a blouse and a skirt, she sat down at the breakfast table with the rest of her family, she frowned to see that her father had already left.

"You slept in late today Hitomi-Chan." Mrs. Kanzaki said cheerfully as she put down two waffles on Hitomi's plate.

"I had a strange dream." Hitomi replied. "It felt so real though isn't that strange?" Hitomi said and then suddenly stood up and hugged her mother once her mother had put the hot pan down. Mrs. Kanzaki looked at her daughter strangely.

"Is something wrong?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked.

"In my dream…" Hitomi started to say as she choked back the tears. "Everyone had died in a car accident." Hitomi said. "It was my fault because Otou-san (father) was mad at me and you two where fighting about the time when I was…" She searched for words to describe her absence. "Away."

Hitomi's mother pinched her arm which made Hitomi break free of the hug and rub her arm. "Ouch!" Hitomi said and smiled.

"You are wide awake. Is there anything else to this dream?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked.

"Remember how I told you of that strange place? I was kind of forced to since Amando and Yukari opened their big mouths and told you that I had been swept away by a strange pillar of light and was ridding on a weird dragon remember?" Hitomi asked and Mrs. Kanzaki stared at her with a half understanding look on her face. "I dreamt that I was taken back to that world, back to Gaea and back to Van." Hitomi said sadly.

"You miss that boy that much don't you, Hitomi?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked and Hitomi sighed. "If I stayed I would have missed you and caused you and Otou-san much grief." Hitomi said. "But if I stayed, I wonder sometimes what would happen between me and Van."

"Firsts loves are always the hardest." Mrs. Kanzaki said and it was at that moment Mamoru (I think that's Hitomi's brother's name, correct me if I'm wrong.) came in the kitchen. He was now the age of fifteen, the same age that Prince Chid would be.

"Are you two talking about boys again? Gross!" Mamoru said in disgust as he sat down.

"I don't have to say anything about you kissing all over that girl, what's her name?" Hitomi snapped and Mrs. Kanzaki turned on her youngest child.

"Kissing girls already Mamoru-chan? Do I have to have your father talk to you about that again?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked with her eyes narrowed on her son.

"No Okaa-san!" (mother) Mamoru cried.

Hitomi sat down and started to eat the waffles that where on her plate, she finished eating and then kissed her Okkasan on the cheek and Mamoru-chan who was still being a brat but she didn't care, she was glad that they where alive.

"Hitomi," Mrs. Kanzaki said before Hitomi got too far away and Hitomi walked back to her okaasan. "What is it okaasan?" Hitomi asked.

"If you can find a way to go back to him, I'm alright with that. I just want to see you happy, I don't want you to do what it is that you tried to do two years ago alright?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked and Hitomi nodded. Two years ago, she had tried to kill herself since she was suffering from deep depression. Her grandmother had died and Yukari was too far away to talk to, her father had become to call her a liar and started to distrust her since that time she was gone and her mother was the only one she could trust. But you couldn't tell your mother about the man you loved, and it wasn't like you could just call him on the phone to tell him how you felt or get together, he lived a planet away.

* * *

Van woke up that morning and couldn't seem to get Hitomi out of his mind. She was the only thing that he could think about but yet she wasn't there. She would never be there. Five years had past and Van had spent a lot of his past five years rebuilding Fanelia to its old glory. It was almost back to its original state, to how he remembered it as a child. There where still parts of the country that needed work, but it wouldn't take any more then another full moon cycle and a half at least to get it done. He got dressed and scrambled up on to the roof before any one could see or stop him, he didn't feel like messing with his advisers today. He sat on the roof for what felt like hours and just stared up at the Mystic Moon. 

"Your thinking about her again, aren't you Van-Sama?" Merle's voice suddenly asked and Van just sat up and looked at his child hood friend.

"I don't know what your talking about." Van lied but could tell that it didn't fool Merle.

"DON'T LIE!" Merle snapped and Van's eyes fell to the roof beneath him. "I know when your thinking about her Van-Sama, you always get that strange look in your eyes. Haven't you tried to contact her?" Merle asked and Van just sighed.

"I've been too scared to." Van replied almost too low for Merle's ears to pick up. "What if she's moved on after all this time?" Van asked. "She kept telling me that she's fine but, I don't know." Van said trying not to loose it completely. "I know that it's a strange obsession, even for a king it's a strange obsession." Van said.

"Love is a strange obsession." Merle replied. "I was in love with you ever since we where little Van-Sama and you never noticed me." Merle said and Van just looked at the floor shamefully. "I guess like you could have called it an obsession since I was so in love with you but you never noticed. I'm not using this as a guilt trip Van-Sama, I'm just using it as an example, since I have learned that I will never be loved that way by you."

"I'm sorry." Van apologized.

"I said not to worry about it." Merle snapped. "My point is, is that love does strange things to people." Merle explained. "And no one does why, you seem to loose that think before you act instinct."

"How would you know all of this Merle?" Van asked and Merle blushed.

"I've well been in love with you for a long time, but I'm not any more and when I was in love, I use to act strange around you and when other women got _close _to you, even just if it was a friendship thing I'd go crazy." Merle admitted blushing by her embarrassment. "You use to do something similar when Hitomi and Allen where together but it wasn't as open."

Van smiled at Merle. "Thanks Merle." Van said as he looked at his adopted younger sister.

"Your welcome Van-Sama." Merle said. "Remember, Hitomi once said that if two people share the same emotion, it should be returned." Merle said having had said that times and times before. "Perhaps she still loves you Van-Sama, how would you know unless if you never tried."

"Their looking for me again aren't they?" Van asked as he took hold of the fruit that Merle handed him and he watched as Merle nodded as he took a bite out of the fruit.

"Yes Van-Sama, they are." Merle replied and Van just smiled at his friend. "You haven't given them away my spot now have you?" He asked and Merle shook her head.

"Thanks." Van said once again. "For keeping my secret and the fruit."

"No problem." Merle replied smiling happily.

* * *

**Dictionary:**

Okaasan - mother( there is more then one way to say mother but this is the one that I am using.)

Otousan - father (Like mother, there is more then one way to say father in japanese so I am using this version)

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**_So what did you think? You like it, hate it, anything wrong with it? Tell me! Which means LEAVE REVIEWS!_**


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN**

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Van Fanel couldn't help but feel bored as he heard his councilors ramble on about things he already knew. His crimson red eyes couldn't help but to stare helpless up at the Mystic Moon. _"Earth."_ He thought, remembering hearing Hitomi call it that before one time when she was here. _"That's what they call that place."_ When Hitomi had gone back to the Mystic Moon five years ago, it had been difficult getting use to not having her around any more. He wondered if she still looked the same or had changed any, he wondered what she was doing and wondered if she was thinking of him; or had just forgotten about him completely? Maybe she pushed Gaea and him aside as if everything was just a dream. Gaea on the other hand, couldn't just push Hitomi over as a dream. Hitomi was now in all of their history books, since after Zaibach's defeat; their history books had been rewritten. Some of the people protested against it, but others came to it willingly. It was rewritten a lot, from where they came from, and a lot of other things that had been revealed by that war. History as they once knew it was changed. 

"King Van are you listening?" One of Van's councilors asked Van in a loud voice.

"Yes." Van lied not wanting to let them know he was thinking about a girl, no a woman. It was none of their business what he was thinking of; unless if it had to do with Fanelia, and at this moment his thoughts where not on Fanelia, they where on Hitomi Kanzaki from the Mystic Moon. The Wing Goddess, the seer, and now, the latest title, the Messiah of Gaea. He had to grin at that thought and wondered what Hitomi would say to such a title. She would probably say somethinglike _"Stop joking and be serious already!"_Or at leastthat's what Van thought she would say. Hewanted to laugh at the thought but managed to keep his laughter inside.

They where pestering him about getting married again. He had put it off for five years now and knew that he knew that he wouldn't be able to put off not having a queen for much longer. His councilors where getting impatient and wanted a queen and a heir. Van thought differently on the subject, he figured that since Gaea was at peace there would be no rush in getting married or having an heir.He alsodidn'twant to marry someone because of their power, he wanted to follow in hisotousan's footsteps and marry someone he loved. The woman he loved was Hitomi, and he knew that he could not love another like her. He use to love being able tojust hear her speak, or to be able to look in those naive eyes of hers, that was all that he needed. Right now, was a different story. He was a king, but gods, he was a man as well. A man has feelings, and he began to wonder if he should have ever given Hitomi back. Then again, would she have stayed if he had asked her all those years ago? Van could only wonder. Then a thought hit him, their last conversation before he sent her off.

_ "Van, I like Gaea, and Fanelia to, I would like to see it when it's finished." Hitomi had said to him._

_ "You can see it, from there." Van had replied as he smiled at her and he had felt Hitomi's warm arms around his neck. _

_"I'll never forget you Van!" Hitomi had promised. "Even when I get old." It was then when he held up the energist and the pillar of light appeared. Hitomi smiled at him and held him until she was a distance off of the ground and handed him the pendant. _

The pendant was all that he had left of Hitomi other then his memories. He was glad to be rid of the councilors when they finished discussing Fanelia's problems and other things that where going on. It was late in the evening, Van realized and he made his way out to the garden, not having had visited Folken in a while.

* * *

Hitomi got out of class late that evening since she had most of her classes later today. She had decided on going to the University near their home even though she knew it would have been better if she had just gone off to some school somewhere else. The only one who would have really missed her was her okaasan so she stayed for her okaasan. Something made her go to where her old high school was and sighed as she ended up at the track. This was the place where she had first met Van. He was really rough back then, and kind of rude. He had saved their lives, hers, Yukari's and Amano's; and she had saved his. He was still cocky about it afterwards even though she had told him that she didn't do it for the reward; he still had that cocky attitude of this which made her want to slap him accross his face and well she did.

Suddenly, she got the urge to run for some odd reason and walked over to the markets where the start was. She automatically went out of habit to her last spot, and put her feet in to the markers. _"Three, two, one, GO!"_ She shouted in her mind and then began to run. Her running had improved a lot since that time as well as a few hidden tallents that she had that she didn't have to use here on Earth but they would have been well used in Gaea at that time. She wasn't wearing the proper running gear, since a skirt wasn't good to run in but she didn't care, she wasn't wearing high heals and all she needed where sneakers since she could run in practically anything. Her green eyes widdened as she saw one of Van's feathers suddenly appear in front of her and fall to the floor as she ran past by it. _"He's calling me."_ She thought sadly. _"But I can not go where he is, I don't know how." _That's when she saw it, that strange pillar of light.

* * *

Van stood in the castle's gardens, where Folken was barried and he suddenly felt something very hot against his chest. It wasn't a painful type of hotess like when you burned your flesh on the hot flames of the fire, no, it was a different feeling, it was a calling. His eyes widdened as he saw the pillar of light appear before him and his legs seemed as if they where forced to walk toward it, and he pulled off his shirt with out a second thought. His wings came out, and white feathers fell around him as his wings came out. He stepped in to the light, almost spell bound to it and began to fly up.

* * *

When Hitomi reached the pillar of light, she was instantly taken off of the ground, her green eyes where wide with shock not having had expected that to happen since she gave her pendant to Van. Perhaps he was calling her, and perhaps he still cared for her after all of this time? She didn't know, but she figured that she would soon find out. _"Please let him remember me."_ Her thoughts begged who ever could be listening to them at that moment and she was swept away from Earth and was being lead by the pillar of light once again to that strange world where the Earth and Moon hung in the sky, she was going back, back to Gaea.

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**_Confused? Hehe. Well you really shouldn't be, it kind of makes sense in my mind. Or at least I think that it makes sense, since I'm the writer. Well tell me what you think. Yes it's a short chapter, but sometimes short chapters are better then longer chapters. _**


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks once again for all of the reviews everyone. I do appreciate them even though I don't tell you individually. That just takes too much time. I hope that you're all enjoying the story so far. Well thanks again and here is the long awaited chapter.

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

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Van and Hitomi landed back on Gaea moments later and Hitomi collapsed in to Van's and Van caught her quickly. He smiled down at Hitomi who had a peaceful look on her face_. "Welcome back, Hitomi!"_ Van thought happily as he picked Hitomi up and carried her in to the castle.

* * *

When Hitomi woke up, she looked around and was unfamiliar with the settings at first. She had almost forgotten that she had come back to Gaea and she hit herself in the head for having had passed out as soon as she got here. She had waited so long to get here and then when she got her she passed out. What an idiot! She shouted in the depths of her mind. _"HOW COULD I HAVE DONE THAT? YOU WANTED TO COME BACK SO BADLY AND YOU PASS OUT!"_

She got up and put her shoes back on as soon as her feet touched the cold, hard wood floor. The castle seemed to be built back, she wondered what the rest of Fanelia looked like. She wondered if it looked like it did in her dream. Then again, how could she tell if this was a dream or not? She couldn't be sure since she thought that the dream was reality and that could this mean that this was a dream? Oh gods her head hurt thinking about it. Reluctantly she fell back on to the bed, kicking her shoes off as she did so, and closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep hoping that she would wake up soon. She then heard the door open, and found opened an eye to see who it was, it was Merle. She should have figured that it would be the obnoxious annoying cat girl. Hesitantly she closed her eye, hoping that Merle wouldn't notice that she was awake.

_SLAP SLAP!_

Hitomi's cheek hurt and Hitomi shot up and was now sitting on the bed. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" Hitomi shouted at her old friend.

Merle looked at Hitomi with her eyes narrowing on her. "I'm not blind stupid, I can see that you where awake."

"How the hell can I be sure that I'm still not asleep?" Hitomi asked Merle half shouting. "Would you like to tell me that much?"

_SLAP SLAP!_ Hitomi was slapped again. "CUT THAT OUT!"

"You wouldn't be able to feel pain if you where asleep." Merle said slyly.

"That's not necessarily true." Hitomi corrected Merle.

"I forgot, you're an exemption to the case." Merle said coldly and Hitomi glared. "Thanks for welcoming me back!" Hitomi snapped as she threw her legs over to the side of the bed and picked up the shoes she had just tossed minutes ago.

"Whatever, you're weird." Merle said and licked her paw. "You better not get too close to him." Merle warned.

"Why not? We both know how we feel for one another. And since when did my love life get involved with you?" Hitomi asked with annoyance.

"Do not get too close to him if you don't plan on staying this time." Merle replied. "If you hurt him again, I will hurt you this time. I was lineate the last time you where here, however, if you leave him again, hurt and alone, I swear you will regret it if you decide to come back after that." Merle warned, her tail getting all straight and puffy like an angry cat warning its predator.

"I'll stay only if he wants me still." Hitomi said which made Merle look at her strangely, was it a look of shock? "He forced me to leave the last time." Hitomi corrected. "I know that you weren't there when I left, but I told him that I wanted to stay, or hinted at him and he sent me home."

"Hinted? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?" Merle shouted. "I did love Van-Sama, but I knew that I was already out of the race when I saw the way that he looked at you." Merle said, her tail back to normal and she flopped it from side to side on the bed. "I will take you as my rival, but I must warn you, there are other women who have their eye on Van-Sama and I will NOT LOOSE TO SOME DAMN SPOILD PRINCESS!"

"What are you trying to say?" Hitomi asked, her breathing becoming heavier.

"Van is supposed to marry soon." Merle explained. "He had managed to put it off for five years, but now as he is becoming to the age of 20, he will be forced to marry soon if he wants to or not. Fanelia needs a queen and a heir. If Van does not choose his queen by the time he is 21, it will be chosen for him. It will most likely be some damn spoiled princess, it better be you at least."

"Van, where is he now?" Hitomi asked.

"In a meeting, he said that he would come see you when he was done." Merle explained. "You might want to take a bath before you see him." Merle suggested.

"Do I smell that bad? How bad can you smell just by sleeping?" Hitomi asked.

"It's just a suggestion. I'd figure you want one." Merle explained.

"Oh." Hitomi replied. "I guess like I will." She said giving in.

After the bath Hitomi changed back in to her cloths and dried her hair with the towel. She was glad that Merle had managed to get her hands on a new brush and Hitomi figured that Merle had got one in the city or something and got it. She brushed her hair and Merle was sitting on the bed watching her.

"You're just going to leave it down?" Merle asked.

"Why not?" Hitomi asked.

"You look weird with longer hair." Merle spat.

"Why because I actually look like a girl? Thanks for the brush by the way." Hitomi said.

"It was a new one that I hadn't use yet, I figured that you be kind of picky if I let you use my old one." Merle explained.

"Thanks." Hitomi said. Silence filled the room. "I want to see Fanelia." Hitomi suddenly said.

"You can see some of it from the balcony." A new voice said and Hitomi quickly put the brush down on the dresser and looked to see Van standing in the door.

"Van-Sama!" Merle said and walked over to Van and jumped on him and licked his cheek.

"Merle, cut that out." Van said somewhat embarrassed. He knew that Hitomi had seen Merle do this to him before but it felt strange.

"Van…" Was all that Hitomi could say as she stared at the man she had that strange dream about, she was even married to Van in her dream. The thought caused her to blush. An awkward silence filled the room and Merle finally let go of Van and started to head to the door. "Fine, I get it, I'll leave." Merle said reluctantly.

"Thanks Merle, I'll eat the evening meal with you later if you want." Van suggested not usually having time to.

"That's fine, eat it with Hitomi, you can make it up to me by the noon meal and the evening meal." Merle said and gave a strange look at Hitomi before she walked out and closed the door behind her.

Silence still filled the room even after Merle left. "So you want to see Fanelia? I figured that you would like something to eat first." Van suggested and Hitomi blushed as soon as her stomach growled then and she laughed nervously.

"Don't worry, you haven't eaten in a few days, it's to be expected. I haven't eaten the noon meal yet, would you like to join me?" Van asked and Hitomi blushed brightly.

"Yes, if you don't mind." Hitomi said bowing in apology.

"You don't have to bow, Hitomi." Van said. "And I don't mind, I insist. It's been too long."

Van obviously didn't understand the difference in their cultures so she let that one slide. She followed Van out of the room she was staying in, and walked next to him silently as she followed him to what she guessed was the dinning room.

* * *

She felt strange and out of place as they entered the eating area. It was for everyone and not just the king. She figured that Van didn't really care who ate there and wasn't like one of those king's who had to have the servants eat in a separate room. The person she assumed was the cook came out and bowed as soon as he saw Van.

"Who is your guest your highness?" The tall man asked Van.

"Lady Hitomi." Van replied and Hitomi glanced over at Van at the title.

"Welcome my lady." The cook said and bowed at her.

"Nice to meet you." Hitomi said.

"We're going to eat outside on the balcony." Van said and Hitomi just watched him from the corner of her eyes.

"Yes your highness. What will you like?" The man asked.

"Lady Hitomi isn't use to our foods here so is it alright if I choose for you?" Van asked Hitomi and Hitomi nodded dumbly. Van said some name of a strange sounding food and then said something for himself. He then lead Hitomi by the arm and headed to two double doors and opened one up to let Hitomi walk out first and followed himself. He sat Hitomi down and sat down in the chair across from her.

"Wow, you've really done a great job in rebuilding it in five years!" Hitomi said as she saw Fanelia, her green eyes wide.

Van chuckled. "Thanks, though it's not complete yet." Van said somewhat annoyed. "Building takes time and money."

"Yes." Hitomi said and looked back at Van. "I'm sure that you'll have it back to it's old ways and glory." Hitomi said and Van smiled.

"I'm glad that you like my country." Van said and paused. "However, I hope that's not all you want to talk about. We haven't seen one another in five years after all." Van said and Hitomi blushed.

"Yes, sorry." Hitomi apologized once again.

"No need to." Van said. "I'm just glad to see that you're finally awake, I was getting worried about you even though our best healer said that you would be fine."

"Sorry." Hitomi apologized.

"For what this time?" Van asked trying not to laugh.

"For making you worry." Hitomi replied and Van just smiled at Hitomi. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing." Van replied.

"I've missed you Van." Hitomi said finally, her face still bright red. Van sighed. _"Was it relief?"_ Hitomi wondered and hoped that it was.

"I've missed you to, Hitomi." Van said, which made Hitomi relax now. "More then you can know." He said.

Hitomi blushed brightly as she heard these words. He missed me! Thank god he missed me! She thought as she stared at the young Fanelian king. He was so handsome and he no longer looked like a foolish boy like he had when she first met him. His raven black hair was still wild, and he was still the same. His eyes, those eyes of his could make her do almost anything he wanted her to, and all he would have to do was ask. Or at least that's how she felt at the moment. She wondered what was going through her mind and if she was the reason why Van had never gotten married? In their messages she told him that he shouldn't wait for her and that he could move on if he wanted to. He didn't want to, Hitomi knew that now.

"Hitomi." Van's voice suddenly cut through her mind.

"Yes?" Hitomi asked.

"I asked you how was it being back home these past five years." Van repeated. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing." Hitomi said blushing and scolding herself for being caught in not paying attention.

"Everything was fine!" Hitomi lied not wanting Van to worry about her more then he already had. "Everyone was glad when I finally came back home." She said and she saw the hard look on Van's face. "Is something wrong?" She asked him.

"You're lieing to me Hitomi." Van said, his tone unreadable. "I don't like being lied to."

Hitomi's hands gripped hold of her skirt. "My Otousan was angry with me when I came back home." She said. "Okaasan understood me since she knew the stories that my grandmother told her." Hitomi explained and looked down at the table. "Otousan still didn't believe Okaasan and well ever since then he's been avoiding me for some odd reason. The only two people who believed me besides Okaasan was Yukari and Amano (Is it Amano or Amando?) moved to another country and left me alone. Otousan still thinks to this day that I ran away." Hitomi finally said and when she looked up she no longer found Van in his chair. His arms suddenly wrapped around her and Hitomi looked up at him with shocked arms.

"I'm sorry." Van was the one who apologized this time. "Perhaps I should have let you stay back then." Van said and Hitomi just looked at him with shocked, wide green eyes. "Van…" Hitomi said and stood up for some odd reason and rested her head against his chest. Her arms slowly came up and hugged the young king somewhat hesitantly. She didn't know how he would react so she was unsure. It felt nice, being in his embrace, she missed this feeling. She knew that it was just a dream and that everything she had dreamt wasn't real, but this is how it felt. She remembered his sent, the way he moved, acted, everything. Why had she wanted to leave in the first place. She quickly let go which made Van stare at her.

"The cook's here." Hitomi explained not knowing how she knew that but just knew it and seconds later, the cook appeared to be having a hard time opening the door and Van went to the door and opened it and helped the cook with the trays.

"That boy, I told him to bring something to drink but he never listens!" The cook hissed as he saw that there where no drinks on the table.

"It's alright." Hitomi insisted and Van stayed silent. The meal was awkward almost and it took her almost the whole meal to finally ask the question. "Are you married Van?" Hitomi finally asked.

"What?" Van asked not having had been sure if he heard the question correctly.

"Are you married?" Hitomi asked again. "Or have some woman that you're engaged to or like?" She asked blushing brightly.

Laughter exploted from Van's side of the table which made Hitomi just stare at him. "No, of course not. The court's tried to get me married, and a few women have even tried to get me in to their bed so that we would have to get married, but I wouldn't fool for any of their tricks, Hitomi." Van replied which made Hitomi sigh in relief. "You are the only one I could keep in my mind for these past five years."

* * *

_**Wow, this is getting difficult to write now since well yeah. HAHA : cough coughs : I'm beginning to loose interest in this so I might not write for a while.Not to mention that exams are next week and well yeah. This should hold you over until I decide to write again.**_


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**.

The next day, she was able to spend it with Van who had taken off part of the evening hours to spend with her. She was surprised that he was able to fit time to spend with her in his busy schedule. She on the other hand was bored half out of her mind and was trying to find things to do to fill her time. She had already went to the city and looked around. She of course got strange looks because of her foreign cloths but that didn't bother her, she had gotten use to it the last time she was here. She rested her head boldly against Van's chest who just wrapped his arms around her which made her feel like dancing like an idiot but thankfully she didn't. "I had a strange dream before I came here Van." Hitomi said which made Van look down at her. "It was strange but sad, my family on the Mystic Moon had all been killed in a carriage accident…" She lied not feeling like describing to Van what a car was, this was easier and it would take the confusion out of things. "I had managed to come back here and you and I where finally together like we are now." Hitomi continued leaving out the poisoning, she didn't want to tell him about that since it would upset him. "Then as we where about to be married…" Hitomi said blushing brightly. "I was taken back." She finally finished.

"That is a strange dream." Van said trying to keep himself from blushing as Hitomi brought up the marriage part. "But dreams are only dreams, you're here now. Though it was sad that you're family was killed in it."

"The strange thing about the dream is, is that it felt so real. When I woke up to find it only just a dream, I didn't almost believe it at first. I thought that I was still dreaming and maybe still am." Hitomi said to the young king. Hitomi was surprised when Van managed to move her to face him with out hardly any trouble and Hitomi looked up in to his red-brown eyes. "You're here now Hitomi." Van said. "That's all that matters, and you're not dreaming." Van said which made Hitomi's heart skip beats every once in a while. "I'll even prove it to you." Van said grinning which made Hitomi wonder what he was planning and before she knew it, he pulled her close to him and was kissing her!

Hitomi stared at him for a few minutes wide eyed as she let him kiss her and then she finally closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss. When Van broke the kiss, they stared in to one another's eyes for a few minutes, each one of them blushing. "I don't think that you could feel a kiss like that in a dream, Hitomi." Van said bashfully which made Hitomi smile as she ran her fingers through his wild raven black hair. "No." Hitomi answered smiling. "I don't think that you could." Even if she had been kissed by Van in her "dream" it didn't feel like that, it felt different then it did in the dream, and she liked this version of their "first kiss" better then the one in the dream. She leaned her head back on Van's chest and the two watched the sun set together.

Van groaned as he woke up that next morning not wanting to get up since he knew that he would be forced in to another one of his boring meetings with the council and that they would just talk about things he already pretty much knew. He wondered what was the point of having them anyway? King's always had them so he had picked one of his own as well. He did trust them but he didn't trust them as near as much as he had Balgus when the man was alive. Balgus was the only man who ever had his full trust. Balgus was his council, teacher, adviser, protector, and friend. Balgus would never be replaced in Van's mind. Van especially hated it because they always seemed to pressure him in taking a queen. He got dressed and quickly grabbed a bite to eat before heading down to the meeting room. Today the meeting was being held in the library, it was a nice changed compared to the usual stuffy throne room.

"King Van." Reiling, a woman member of his council said as he entered.

"Council Reiling." Van said acknowledging that he heard her and then closed the door.

"You do know that after you turn you're twenty first year that we choose you're wife for you correct." Reiling asked. "You are the last member of the royal Fanelian family, and you need a heir to reassure Fanelia's people that their future will not be passed to some unknown hand after a long battle once your gone."

"What are you getting at Council Reiling?" Van asked knowing already what she was getting at but since they always seemed to like to talk, he let them talk even though it aggravated the living crap out of him.

"We will choose a wife for you if you do not choose one for yourself by…" Reiling started to say but then Van interrupted her.

"Have you not read the law council?" Van asked making sure that Reiling remembered the law that his father had put down before he married his mother. "The law about the royal family marring? The one that my father had rewritten before he married my mother during his time as king?" Van asked and Reiling became silent. "Since you seem not to remember the law I shall remind you what it is." Van said somewhat coldly. "It says that the King or Queen of Fanelia is allowed to marry who he or she pleases to." Van trying to keep his annoyance out of his voice. His father had also been the one who made it possible for a daughter of the royal family to take the throne if needed and that her husband could not take her place with out her permission or sell Fanelia's lands or anything that belonged to Fanelia with out her permission. There where a lot of other laws that his father changed to where in case there was a daughter as the heir instead of the son, that the daughter would have full responsibility as Queen. The reason why his father did this is because his mother had told him when he was little, that they thought he was going to be a girl.

"And that even if the council decides to choose the ruler's husband or wife, that the one ruling can over rule their decision. The old members of the council agreed to this." He tried to hide a grin that he wanted to show.

"We know that you fancy this Lady Hitomi, but…"

"But what council?" Van asked, his eyes glaring at them. "Is this the only reason why you called me here, I have a busy schedule to keep. I am not marrying someone for political means, and that the Lady Hitomi should have your respect. You see, she is the one who had saved Gaea after all."

"How is it that we know that she is the Lady Hitomi and not some imposter?" A middle aged councilor named Taine asked.

"I know." Van said fiercely and now on the verge to letting his temper get the best of him. "This meeting is over." Van said angrily and then left the room. What the hell would they know about Hitomi or my past? Van asked himself. They might have heard of it but that means nothing.

* * *

Hitomi was being dragged shopping by Merle. Actually Van had asked Merle to take Hitomi to a seamstress or a seamstress to Hitomi so that she would fit in more with the Fanelian culture. Then again, Van never said which part of the Fanelian culture and at the rate that Merle was going, well Hitomi wasn't use to such clothing.

"Merle, I think that's enough. I never liked shopping at home and now we've been out since early this morning!" Hitomi protested as they where picking out more material again.

"Yes well I'm just doing as I've been asked." Merle spat. "I don't like baby sitting you any more then you do." Merle spat. "Besides, since you've actually decided to live here, you have to have something else to wear besides the cloths on you're back right?" Merle asked and Hitomi sighed. "It made due the…" Before Hitomi could protest, Merle cut in. "I think that we're done today." Merle interrupted before Hitomi could finish her sentence.

"Yes Lady Merle." The seamstress replied and Merle paid for it.

"What was it hat you where picking out in there anyway?" Hitomi asked having had been told to wait outside.

"Just the style of the dresses." Merle replied. "I know a lot more about the Fanelian culture then you do so I decided that I would choose them."

Hitomi sighed and shook her head. It was going to get some taking to get use to this way a life. She had lived a pretty easy life compared to what these people had to go through. With all of the technology at Earth's fingertips life was easier by a long run. She wondered what it was that she would do here as a job since she didn't want to have to rely on Van all of the time. She knew that they where a couple, but she wanted to try to do something on her own with out only needing Van's support. "Damn, another one of those fake seers!" Merle groaned as they walked by a place where a few people where gathering around.

"They have those here to?" Hitomi asked Merle who nodded. "Especially since after you're first visit." Merle groaned. "Not that it's your fault or anything, but well there have been more of them trying to claim that they are the Wing Goddess."

"It's not so great." Hitomi said quietly which made Merle look at her. "Seeing all of those things, it's not so great."

Merle watched as Hitomi's smile turned to a frown which made Merle just want to hit Hitomi at her reaction. "Yes well who would want to copy a baka like you anyway?" Merle asked which made Hitomi glare at her.

"What do you mean by baka? Baka!" Hitomi asked.

"Like I said, you're a baka!" Merle said a little louder which made Hitomi just want to punch Merle. "I'll show you baka when I get my hands on that tail of yours!" Hitomi shouted back and started to chase after Merle. Hitomi couldn't help but smile, it felt just like old times, almost like old times anyway besides the fact that they where usually running for their lives most of the time and that she liked Allen-San, not Van.

When they got to the castle, Merle was tired out and Hitomi wasn't. She was use to running since she use to run track every single day and she still ran, but not as often. Hitomi watched as Merle collapsed on to the castle's steps which made Hitomi laugh. "It seems as if I win neko." Hitomi said trying not to let her humor get the best of her. "It seems as if I get to get that tail of yours." Hitomi said about to pounce Merle and then looked up at Van who happened to be there.

"What are you two doing, or should I be afraid to ask?" Van asked and as soon as Merle heard Van's voice, Merle jumped up and clung to him. "She's trying to take my tail off Van-Sama!" Merle whined to Van who just raised an eye brow at Hitomi who shrugged. "Actually I wasn't going to." Hitomi admitted to Van. "I wouldn't want her blood to stain my cloths, do you know how hard it is to get blood out of an outfit?" Hitomi asked.

"Yes, I do, or do you not remember how many times I as wounded during our time together?" Van asked which made Hitomi smile. "Of course Van-Sama, how could I forget?" Hitomi asked and used "sama" at the end of Van's name just to piss off Merle.

_" I knew I should have picked out the ugly ones!" _Merle thought to herself as she glared at Hitomi. _"Maybe I'll just use her as a scratching post later instead." _Merle thought which brought a smile to the neko's lips. _"That will work." _

_

* * *

_

_**This'll have to last you a while peoples, I'm beginning to get writters block which is a pain in the ass and I'm at the moment loosing interest in this story. I'll probably come back to it once I get some more ideas, I mean I have ideas, but their all up in my head and it's difficult to get them written down if any other writers know what I mean. I'll try to update sometime with in the month and if not before February I can't make any promises but I will try if I don't then oh well, I hopefully won't be one of those people who doesn't update in like a year. : coughs coughs : One of my friends for example, and at a cliff hanger to. Well this isn't too bad of a spot so until next time **_

**_-Darkia-_**

**_The controller of fire, friend to dragons,andcat youkai, andowner of many swords and other pointy objects_**


	13. Chapter 13

_**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**_

As the days passed, a week quickly flew by and Hitomi had got to see all of Fanelia by then, she was amazed to what Van had done with the country since she had been there and how things had grown, though there was still a bit of the country that still needed repairs. She loved the time she was able to spend with Van even though he was busy most of the time, she still didn't care; she was home. When she had returned to Earth, Earth was different and didn't feel right to her any more. Van had taken her out and they where alone again, she loved spending these times with him, being this close, it made her wonder if this was all just a dream like the last time. She loved just having him close, it was comforting and nice seeing this side of him. He was so calm and seemed really different from the days of when they first met; those days seemed so long ago.

"Is something wrong Hitomi?" Van asked which made Hitomi blush.

"No, nothing, I was just thinking." Hitomi said as her face turned bright red, she wondered if he noticed that she was blushing and hoped not. "Why?"

"Nothing, you where just staring out there somewhere, that's why." Van said as he pulled out what looked like a picnic basketoff of the horseand put it on the ground.

"So this is what you had planned, I thought that you where just trying to get away from everyone again." Hitomi said which made Van laugh. "No, I don't think that there's much of a chance at that." Van said which made Hitomi smiled knowing that he was lieing. Hitomi helped Van put the blanket out and then the two sat down. "Getting away from everyone I mean, it's rather difficult to now that there's a lot to do."

"Are you sure that it's ok to be here with me Van, I mean your busy and I…" Hitomi shut up once she saw that look in his eyes, it was that look that told her that everything was going to be ok.

"Yes, it's fine, I don't mind a little extra work as punishment as long as I can spend this time with you." Van said and then realized what he had just said. _"Did I really just say that out loud?" _Van asked himself now feeling stupid, and hoped that she didn't notice him blushing as he said it and watched Hitomi's expression and noticed that she wasn't laughing at him, but was blushing like he was. He couldn't help but to wonder if he should ask her what he's been longing to ask her since she told him how she felt about him. "Hitomi…" Van finally said which made Hitomi look in to those red-brown eyes of his.

"What Van?"

"I've missed you ever since you left that day, when you went to go back home; back to the Mystic Moon." Van said and paused before going on again."It got some time to get use to not having you around every day. I even missed those damn irritating arguments that we use to have." Van said as he felt himself now start to actually blusheven brighter for he could feel his cheeks get hotter and he tried to keep his nerves calm about this. He knew how she felt but was it enough to ask her what he wanted to ask? "I… Hitomi, I love you and I want to know…" Van started to say but thought of a better way to reword it. "Hitomi will you marry me?" He finally asked and felt as if he just let a big weight off of his chest.

"Of course Van." Hitomi said happily. "WHAT DO YOU THINK! DO YOU EVEN HAVE TO ASK?" Hitomi asked Van which made Van look at Hitomi with a confused look on his face. "Of course I'll marry you, if you'll have me." Hitomi said more calmly and Van pulled the ring out of his pocket then.

"I would have liked to given you mother's, but when Zaibach attacked, just about everything was destroyed since Fanelia was burned to the ground." Van said as he took it and put it on Hitomi. "I have something else for you at the castle, I brought this since…"

Hitomi put two fingers to Van's lips who just looked at her with a confused look on his face. "This is fine, this is how it is where I'm from Van." Hitomi said happily. "I love you, that's all that matters, even if this is just a dream, I still love you." Hitomi said and Van lifted her chin and then kissed her. Hitomi blushed fiercely as Van kissed her, and she kissed him back; she hoped that this wasn't a dream, because if it was, she didn't know what she would do this time if it was. Dream or not, she did enjoy her time with him, she loved Van, and didn't want to loose him, even if it was just a dream, it was a good one.

* * *

Sorry for the short chapter people's but you'll live, I finally updated because I got annoyed with some of the bad EscaFlowne fan fic's I've seen out there, and I'm not telling you which ones that I read that I didn't exactly care for. Well you know the drill, REVIEW!

P.S. Writer's block is still on so don't get too use to the fact of me updating this one very often.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen **_

Hitomi felt anxious as the wedding neared. She couldn't wait to be married to Van, she had loved him for a long time now and couldn't wait to be with him as his wife. She always wore the wedding ring on her finger, expect for when she was doing that could break it. The wedding would be placed a half year from now which felt like an eternity since anything could happen from now until then and well, she had waited long enough she thought. She wanted the wedding to be today but she had no choice in the matter. If it was just a normal wedding, she would have rather had it today or tomorrow, but since it was a royal wedding they had to send out guests lists and everything else that happened at a royal wedding. She sighed as she blushed at the thought of being Van's wife. Merle had surprisingly been alright with the whole thing since Merle had taken her to the side and told her that she had gotten over Van not loving her sometime after the war. Though she wondered about that because she hadn't seen Van for a long time now and she still was in love with Van. She turned down dates with other boys because she didn't want to betray Van's trust. A married life with Van… Hitomi wondered to herself. Would it ever happen or would it end up like her dream? Was the dream really a dream or was it just a vision? She hadn't gotten visions in a long time, not ever since she had returned to Earth from Gaea they had almost completely stopped expect having one every once in a while.

She had given up her fortune telling cards which she had packed away because she didn't want to through them away, but she didn't want to get rid of them either. They where put away in her families attic somewhere. They where given to her like the pendant, from her grandmother. She decided that it had been a long time since she last ran and she went in to her room, which was right next to Van's; and found a pair of pants which she had gotten when she was in the city. The woman who she bought them from thought that she was insane, but it was better then nothing. She would have preferred her old running shorts, but this was the closest thing that they had here. She changed and found her sneakers which she was surprised that the maids didn't through away. They tried to get rid of everything she had with her when she came from the Mystic Moon, but she had to hide her old cloths, shoes, and whatever else it was that she had brought with her. She had seen a nice place to run when she was out walking about the castle grounds, which was surprising because of how high up the castle was. It was just a nice piece of flat land, but it would do.

* * *

After she counted down, she started to run forward, remembering the advise that Amano had given her all of those years ago, a few days before she had first met Van. She would never forget it since her running had saved her and Van's life from time to time. Coming to Gaea had changed her, but it was a good change. Her friends, her life back on Earth would never be forgotten, but Gaea was her home now and forever until she died. She knew that much. As she stopped to take a break, she put her hand on her knees so she wouldn't fall over and was breathing hard she blushed as soon as she recognized the voice that was calling out her name. "Hitomi, what are you doing?" Van had asked her which made her look up. "I thought you where busy." Hitomi said still blushing as Van came over to her.

"I was, it's evening now Hitomi." Van said and Hitomi looked up to the sky and laughed.

"I guess like I lost track of…" She felt Van lift her up and seat her down. "I could have done that myself you know!" Hitomi said as they both sat on the grass now and Van laughed.

"Really, you looked like you where about to fall over. What where you doing anyway?" Van asked again.

"Running, I use to do it a lot when I was in high school." Hitomi answered and blushed as she leaned her head against Van's shoulder. "Though it's called Track and is more or less a sport."

"Oh." Van said just liking to get Hitomi speak to hear her voice and watched as she leaned back down on to the grass and looked up at the Mystic Moon. "Do you miss it?" Van asked.

"How many times are you going to make me answer that?" Hitomi asked having had lost count of the times. "Yes I miss it but…" Hitomi said and turned her eyes over to Van. "I don't care where I am as long as I'm with you, I hate it when you make me answer that question Van Fanel because you know that answer makes me blush! That's why you do it don't you?" She asked suddenly as she sat up before she said that.

"Partly." Van said laughing again. "I just want to know that you're happy here with me, that's all."

"I am." Hitomi said and then stood up. "You know that by now."

Van stood up and then put his arms around Hitomi's waist. "I do." Van answered. "I just like hearing it from you." Hitomi blushed even further. "Let's go in and eat." Hitomi said as she held Van's gloved hand. "I'm starving." Van gave a short laugh and shook his head. "Alright, let's go, but I hope that you're going to wash first."

"What does that mean?" Hitomi asked and turned around to glare at her future husband.

"I don't mind it, but other people might be offended by seeing the future queen coming to dinner in pants and sweating." Van answered.

Hitomi stuck her tongue out at him childishly. "Fine." Hitomi said and Van grinned. "Bite me!"

"Not until our wedding night." Van replied and Hitomi hit him playfully on the arm then.

"One of these days I am going to kill you Van Fanel."

"Unlikely." Van said at the playful threat.

"Geez…." Hitomi groaned. "You are something else."

"I know." Van answered. "But I thought that's why you loved me."

"I don't know about that." Hitomi replied and tried to hold back the smile at Van's frown.

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Finally the next chapter! Short, and simple but oh well. Be lucky that you're getting chapters! MWHAHAHAHAHAHA…….. I'm on sugar so don't mind me…… I just ate sugar loaded food which is probably the reason why I can't sleep….. Oh well! Talk to you laters people but don't forget to REVIEW! Is it just me or have there been a few bad fanfics lately? 


	15. Chapter 15

Thanks for the reviews everyone! I finally decided to update since I was inspired or actually I'm just mainly procrastinating at having to go to bed! I'd write individual responses to the reviews but ff doesn't like that so yeah! Not to mention whatever questions you have you just got to read and find out and if you still don't understand it then oh well!

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**Chapter Fifteen**

**T**oday was the day of the wedding and the time in between the day that Van had asked her to marry him and today had went by so fast since there where preparations and everything else that she had to do. As future queen, the advisers occasionally asked her to join them in court and see views of how the people on the Mystic Moon would do it which was difficult since she was never one for politics not to mention they lived in a whole different world then Gaea did back on the Mystic Moon. She was putting her wedding dress on when Merle knocked on the door and came in with out even waiting for Hitomi to tell her.

"Van-Sama's busy so I thought that I'd bother you." Merle said which made Hitomi look at Merle strangely. "He has to greet guests and other things…"

"Oh, I'm not sure how Fanelia's customs are." Hitomi admitted. "For weddings or much about any of the other things."

"You'll learn." Merle said yawning. "Not that hard once you catch on."

"Easy for you to say you've lived here your whole life."

"Most of it anyway. I was taken in by Van-Sama's parents when they found me." Merle corrected. "I was still very young back then, but I grown to like it here."

"Yes, I know what you mean. Fanelia, I like it better then Tokyo."

"Tokyo?" Merle asked curiously.

"The city I lived in back on the Mystic Moon." Hitomi answered. "It was always crowded there."

"Who would want to live in a place like that?" Merle asked and Hitomi laughed.

"The Mystic Moon is different then Gaea Merle." Merle didn't know exactly how different Earth was from here. With Earth's advanced technology it made things easier to live, but there where also the downsides at having an easier way of life. Gaea made Hitomi understand how much they took things for granted on Earth. _'Earth…'_ She thought. Once she was married to Van she would never go back there. Fanelia would be her home for now on and she would be Van's wife and Van's queen. That's what she always wanted right? Was to be married to Van? To be close to him? To be able to stay at his side for the rest of her life? Something kept nagging at her. That dream that she had, the dream of this world to where she was sent back to the Mystic Moon as soon as they where married. Why did it bother her? Was it just a dream? Or was it a vision? She didn't know what to think of it. It bothered her, why it bothered her she didn't know.

"What's wrong?" Merle asked. "You're not thinking of backing out are you?" Merle asked and Hitomi looked at her.

"No of course not." Hitomi answered.

"Good, if you do I'll do more to you then use you as a scratching post." Merle promised.

"You know that I would never do anything to hurt Van." Hitomi protested and watched as Merle gave her a weird look.

"Really? Do you know how much you hurt him when you left Hitomi?" Merle asked. "Do you have any idea how much? He didn't show it but I know Van-Sama. Even when the time when you left for the Mystic Moon while we where in Asturia Van-Sama was hurt." Merle said. "I don't want to see him like that again. After you left the last time, he buried his grief in work." Merle said. "Don't do that to him again."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Hitomi didn't bother to mention to tell Merle that it was Van who had made her leave in the end. Why didn't she tell him clearly that she wanted to stay?

"Just know that once you become queen I won't treat you any differently." Merle promised.

Hitomi made a face a Merle. "I wouldn't have it any other way Merle. Same to you to."

"Good…" Silence echoed through the room as both females looked at one another.

A woman came in at that moment. "Lady Hitomi, it's time." The woman said and Hitomi nodded and couldn't help but to feel a strange feeling in her heart. She hoped and prayed that this wouldn't be the same outcome as her dream. They where to be married at the same spot where Van was crowned king however instead of making it private like it normally was, Van had made the spot to where everyone could see them. Merle had left before her and was already waiting amongst the crowd. Hitomi smiled once she caught a glimpse at Van. He was all dressed up, out of his normal red shirt and beige pants. He wore a black outfit, similar to what he wore when he was crowned king, but different. She caught a glimpse of three familiar blondes in the crowds. Millerna, Prince Chid, and Allen. Dryden was there as well but looked out of place against his blonde haired wife and nephew. Van was actually smiling which made Hitomi blush. She hoped that her blushing wasn't noticeable since her veil was behind her head. She could have sworn that she caught glimpses of Varie and her husband, the former king of Fanelia; Folken, and the two cat sisters, Balgus, and her grandmother's spirits where there. How they knew that she and Van where being married, she didn't even bother to think about it. Maybe that's why Van was smiling? Hitomi didn't know and didn't care.

A heavy feeling haunted Hitomi's heart as she tried to keep to the long ceremony but the dream kept a heavy weight on her mind. It was almost over and after the kiss she would be swept back to Earth; the thought of this made her grip Van's hand tighter. Before she knew it, the ceremony was over and she and Van where kissing. The crowd cheered and she was still there. Thank the gods, it was only a dream after all, or so she hoped.

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She and Van where married now and she kept close to him as much as she could. This time the wedding had been different from that in the dream, Millerna was talking to her but she couldn't keep her mind on the conversation.

"I'm sorry Millerna – Hime, I just can't seem to keep focus right now." Hitomi apologized after Millerna had asked her what was wrong.

"Yes, you're looking forward to tonight aren't you?" Millerna asked winking which made Hitomi blush fiercely having had missed the wink.

"Millerna Hime!" Hitomi said and Millerna laughed. "I was just joking, relax."

"Sorry, I just have my mind on something."

"Well I'm keeping you from your other guests, you should go meet them."

"Hai." Hitomi answered not caring. Music began to play and Van walked over to her and dragged her out to dance even though he knew that she didn't know the steps to the dances. She was going to kill him!

"What's wrong?" Van asked in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I keep thinking about…"

"That dream that you told me about?" Van asked with a raised eye brow.

"Hai!" Hitomi answered not wanting to look in his eyes as she answered.

"I won't let you go that easily; I've waited too long for you." Van promised.

"Van…" Was all that Hitomi could say and didn't even notice that the dance had ended.

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After the party everyone retired to their rooms and Hitomi blushed as she and Van retired to theirs. "I won't make you do anything that you don't want to." Van promised as he shut the door behind them.

"Van, you won't." Hitomi promised. "You know that I came in to this marriage willingly Van Fanel." Van chucked. "Yes, and it seems as if I have a promise to keep." Van said somewhat childishly.

Hitomi looked at her husband curiously and felt as he picked her up and put her on the bed. He bent down to her neck and bit her which made Hitomi yelp a bit in surprise. "What…"

"I promised I would bite you on our wedding night." Van said and Hitomi could have hit him but Van caught her wrist before she could. "It's kind of like a mark." Van explained. "One of the king's of Fanelia started it as to mark their mate since the mark doesn't disappear they mate for life. I think it was one of the earliest ones who got the idea from the dragons."

"That's… "

"Yes well just to let you know it works both ways meaning that both have to mark one another." Van explained and Hitomi face faulted which made Van grin. "It's going to be an interesting night."

"If I decide to let you have an interesting night." Hitomi corrected Van who left out the detail about the marking.

"I thought you said that you would…"

"That was before you left out that little detail Van." Hitomi corrected Van enjoying watching his grin turn in to a frown. He was easily played with. Van sat on the side of the bed. "I'm just joking Van!" Hitomi said laughing which made Van just look at her with an unreadable expression. Hitomi sighed, it was going to be a longbut interestingnight.

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There you go! The long awaited chapter. I don't know how much longer this will be because I'm running out of ideas. Well I have an idea but I think it would getboring after a while and I want to finish this fanfic while I still have a nack for writing it. I think I'll write maybe one or two more chapters to this and maybe a few more before that if I get inspired again. Maybe after I finish this one I can possibly write a sequal or if I don't then I'll have more time to work on the other what... four? Thanks again for all of the reviews. I'd think everyone individually but well ff doesn't like that and not to mention I think my hands would die. Ja ne for now. 


	16. Chapter 16

Hi everyone, this is going to be the last chapter I think I might be nice and do an Epilogue later if I feel like it but I feel as if I should end here because this is a nice ending point. I was going to make the story go on to where Hitomi kept getting sent back to Earth and that different events would happen every time each time she went to Gaea and that every time it wouldn't be real but some thing strange going on, but I decided not to. I decided to end it while I still have everyone's attention and things. I might even possibly do a sequel to Between Time and Space if I'm up to it. Well thank you for all you faithful reviews. I'd like to thank everyone of you individually but well doesn't like that so arigato minna-san!

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**_CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Stories End_**

It was the next morning Hitomi had realized and she realized that she was still here on Gaea since Van was sleeping peacefully next to her. His back was turned to her because she guessed he rolled over some time during the night out of habit, she didn't care but pushed herself closer to Van and wrapped her arm around his warm chest and blushed as their bodies touched, only being separated by a single thin sheet. She gently pressed her head next to Van's back just wanting to be close to him; still hoping that this wasn't just a dream. For now on, she knew that her future would be with him, to be by his side, as his friend, wife, and queen.

A small smile crept on to my lips as I realize that he is still wearing the pendant that I had given to him five years ago. All of these years he had kept it and even on our wedding night he had worn it, I would never doubt my love for him because he kept it not only as a symbol of our friendship but also because of our love. I could easily get use to this, though I hoped to see his face more often when we wake up for now on instead of his back. Thoughts of Earth ran through my mind once again as memories of my friendship with Yukari and Amano ran through my head. Yukari had been my best friend since kinder garden and Amano had been my friend as well as my first crush. Our friendship over the past five years had fallen apart somewhat since as you grow older you usually don't keep track of silly things like friendship because most people are too busy with things like jobs and family to even care. The images of my family appeared in my mind to how they where before I ended up here on Gaea. My coming home had changed them as well, I had wondered from time to time if it would have been better never to have returned home after I had come to Gaea for the second time; in a way it would have been but in a way it wouldn't have been. There where good and bad reasons to both side of that coin.

For instance, Van and I probably wouldn't have such a strong love for our relationship now, I could have stayed and our love could have fallen apart. Who knows what would have happened if I stayed in Gaea five years ago. Then again who knows what would have happened if I never left Earth. I would have probably fallen in love with Amano, hurting Yukari's feelings and would have been the same selfish Hitomi that I was before I had come to Gaea. Gaea had changed me forever and Gaea is where I belong. Reddish brown eyes stared at mine as I now realized that Van had turned over and woken up. "Good morning." Van said smiling as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"Morning Van." I reply blushing brightly, but not as bright as I blushed last night.

"I'll never get tired of waking up next to you, Hitomi." Van said which made me blush even brighter and I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks at this point.

"Are you sure about that Van?" I ask playfully as Van gives me that same shinning look in his eyes. After all of the years of pain and hardship, Van still can be kind and loving. This was the man I had fallen in love with. I had fallen in love with that arrogant young king all those years ago, I don't know why, but I felt as if I was somehow older then I actually was. "Do you want to wake up next to me and see an old ugly rinkled woman?" I asked. I had promised never to forget Van when I had become old, but now I really wouldn't how could you forget someone like this? I thought of those people who had forgotten their husbands because of old timers disease, but I had sworn I would never forget mine, had I lived to be that old of course.

"I'm sure, I'd rather have this beautiful old woman next to me then some young ugly one." Van said and I didn't know whether or not to take that as a compliment or an insult.

"Van…" I said somewhat breathlessly and felt as he pulled me in for yet another passionate kiss.

After we got dressed we sat on the roof, with me having some help with Van of course since I couldn't climb on to the room with out Van yet, I would have to learn how to though some day since the roof was one of Van's favorite spots. I lay my head on his chest and can hear him breath; my hand rests over his stomach and his arms are around me. The sun starts to rise in the east and the clear view of the two moons start to disappear, not completely, but I knew as the day comes they will just fade, and not shine as bright.

"Are you sure that you don't want to go back Hitomi?" Van asks me again for what felt like the fifty millionth time.

"You dare ask me again after you already marked me last night?" I ask trying to sound angry. "You dare ask me that again after we're married?" I didn't mean to be too harsh on him, I do love him after all.

"Yes, I need to know." Van replies. "I know your answer and I know I've heard you say it many times before but I need to hear it from you once again, one last time." Van promises.

"You know that I will miss it Van." I say looking in to his eyes to let him know that I'm serious.

_'Those eyes, those green eyes…'_ Van thinks as he looks in to his wife's eyes as she looks in to his.

"Earth, the Mystic Moon, whatever you want to call it is my home yes, however…" I say which makes him make a strange face and it makes me almost want to laugh. "My home is with you Van, where ever you are, on Earth, or on Gaea, as long as you are there that will be my home, hell, even if it's between time and space as long as you are there, my home will be there as well Van, I love you, now always and forever." I promise as Van smiles.

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Wow! Finally finished. I know it's a short ending but it's short and to the point not just a filler. Well it kind of is but oh well. It's ended finally! Once again thank you everyone for all of the reviews. 

-Darkia-


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